LUZON

Police to be stricter in arresting curfew violators

THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) will be stricter in the arrest and detention of curfew violators during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period in Luzon, with a holding period of up to 12 hours for those caught. Police Lieutenant General Guillermo L. Eleazar said the Joint Task Force Coronavirus Shield (JTF CV Shield) has been lenient in its initial implementation, with violators being allowed to go home instead of being detained. “Based on our assessment, the number of curfew violators will just continue to rise if we become lenient on them,” Mr. Eleazar, who heads the JTF CV Shield, said in a statement Sunday. He noted that based on local government unit reports, a total of 42,826 were apprehended from March 17 to March 27, with 12,094 from Metro Manila. President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the entire Luzon under ECQ until April 13. “If the curfew violators will be released over a decision that the regular filing of the case will be done after the ECQ, curfew violators must be held for a maximum of 12 hours while being admonished so as to deter them from repeating the offense,” he said.- — Charmaine A. Tadalan

VISAYAS

250 negative results out of 272 tested for COVID-19 at VSMMC; 25 cases in Central Visayas

THE VICENTE Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, the designated sub-national laboratory for COVID-19 testing in the Visayas, reported 250 negative results out of the 272 it conducted in its first four days of operations starting middle of last week. The Department of Health regional office (DoH-7), in a statement late Saturday, said Central Visayas had 25 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of March 28, with 18 in Cebu City. Two are in Lapu-Lapu City and another two, who have both died, were in Negros Oriental. There is one each in Bohol, who has already recovered, Mandaue City, and Cebu province. “One person can undergo more than one test if warranted,” DoH-7 Regional Director Jaime S. Bernadas said in the statement. “We again call on all our citizens to remain calm and follow existing measures currently set in place local authorities. We understand the disruption this has caused our lives but let us remember that measures will only work if we all strictly and conscientiously follow containment and preventive measures,” he said.

WESTERN/EASTERN VISYAS
In Western Visayas, there were 16 confirmed COVID-19 patients as of Saturday afternoon. These are in the following areas based on patient’s residence: Bacolod with 5; Iloilo province, 4; Iloilo City, 2; Aklan, 3; Capiz, 1; and Negros Occidental, 1. The Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City is being readied as a COVID-19 testing facility. In Eastern Visayas, the confirmed case remains at one with 379 patients under investigation.

MINDANAO

SPMC advertises for 60 nurses, 40 house keeping aides; Davao Region COVID-19 cases up to 30

THE SOUTHERN Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City, one of the designated COVID-19 referral hospitals in the Davao Region, is hiring 60 licensed nurses and 40 administrative aides under the housekeeping division as it tends to patients alongside ensuring the welfare of its frontline health workers. As of Saturday evening, Davao Region had 30 people confirmed with the COVID-19, of which 20 are admitted at SPMC. Two others are at the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, while four have recovered and four have died. Based on latest data from the Department of Health regional office, there are over 70 persons under investigation (PUI) admitted in the hospitals and over 7,000 persons under monitoring (PUM). SPMC, which has suspended outpatient services since March 23, has already started carrying out tests as the satellite laboratory for “diagnosis and identification” of suspected COVID-19 patients in Mindanao. The SPMC and its Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine have also launched a phone helpline service for its frontline workers, their families as well as patients.

PUI CENTER
Meanwhile, the Davao City government is preparing five quarantine centers for PUIs, or those exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the PUI centers will help in managing SPMC’s capacity. “There are PUIs who insist on staying in hospitals. As a PUI, if you are not sure that you are positive of COVID-19 but you exhibit symptoms, you are better off in the centers than in the hospitals which have patients with positive cases,” Ms. Duterte-Carpio said Friday as she inspected the planned sites. Among those being readied are the drug rehabilitation center and nearby Bureau of Fire Protection office in Malagos, the Alternative Learning School beside People’s Park, La Vida Inn, and the Queensland Hotel. EMCOR Inc., a distributor of appliances and various other products, has also offered to convert container vans PUI facilities. — Carmelito Q. Francisco and Maya M. Padillo

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR