Mt Prov Covid cases 10 with 2 in Sagada

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE – Fifty frontliners are currently under quarantine at guest houses here, swabbed with specimens taken to Baguio General Hospital after a 29 year old male frontliner was found positive for Covid-19.

Of the 50 who were swabbed August 11, another 39 year old female frontliner was also found Covid positive. 
Health authorities say contact tracing is on to identify persons they had contact with.  

This as a petition for a molecular testing lab is floated online along with a separate resolution from the Office of the  Sangguniang Bayan of Sagada asking for the provision of a testing center for Covid-19. 

Covid patients are increasing here in this once Covid-free Mountain Province with Covid positive cases having climbed to 10 since the first confirmed case was known early June in Besao, Mountain Province.

The first infection came from a uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police stationed at Camp Molintas, Buguias Benguet who went to Besao for a mission order.

The second third and fourth cases from the towns of Bontoc, Paracelis and Natonin respectively all came from Manila and the rest are frontliners of this Province.

Another Covid positive is a farmer from Paracelis.

The first Covid positive from Sagada is a uniformed personnel stationed at Pegeo checkpoint the only road entrance to Sagada during this Covid pandemic.

The positively confirmed patient is with the Bureau of Fire and deployed at the decontamination area for vehicles at Pegeo. He was tested Covid positive in August 9  following a requirement among some frontliners to undergo testing on August  6.   

              All the nine are asymptomatic except for the recent case from Paracelis who exhibited coughs and fever.

Meaning, anyone of the 150,000 resident-populace of the Province maybe asymptomatic and Covid virus carriers.

Meantime, an online petition urge officials of Mountain Province of both the Provincial and the 10 Municipal local government units to immediately secure a molecular testing lab in response to the threat of Covid-19.

Said petition forwarded ”it’s now the fourth month of the Covid-19 pandemic and Mountain Province has not yet  installed a molecular testing lab of its own either in the capital town or in any of the ten municipalities.

Mountain Province brings its specimens to Baguio General Hospital and wait three to four days for the result. 

In phone interview, Provincial Health Officer Nenita  Lizardo lamented on the cost of a testing machine separate from the cost of the building and trainings needed for personnel who shall operate on the machine and other requirements from the Department of Health.

Lizardo said Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital based in Bauko municipality has already requested for a molecular lab test saying that the request has not yet been approved. 

Bauko Mayor Abraham Akilit is in favor of a molecular test lab. 

Meantime, the Sangguniang Bayan of Sagada with the endorsement of Mayor James Pooten Jr came up with a resolution directed to the Department of Tourism (DOT) requesting for the provision of a testing center for Covid 19,  including personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to a tourism- ready municipality should it be.   

               Sagada Municipal Health Officer Geovy Rose Wangdali-Aborque said it would be good to have one but wished Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital has a molecular test lab to cater to Covid-affected people from Mountain Province.

Municipal Medical Technologist Geraldine Aguilan-Alangui seconded the opinion of Aborque further stating that rural health units focus on prevention of diseases.

Alangui added that hospitals like Bontoc General Hospital or Sagada-based St Theodore’s Hospital have facilities for the installation of a test lab specially for infectious diseases like Corona virus.  

Said online petition forwarded “a testing lab lets one know if one has the virus or not. And if one has it, to undergo the necessary treatment, be quarantined and isolated and protect his/her health while protecting the health of his/her own family members and the immediate community he/she belongs to.”

A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is best for Covid testing as this is more accurate than rapid testing, Alangui added.  

A molecular testing lab is not only necessary to address Covid-19 but may also serve as an additional ready facility for use by the Province’s health centers on infectious diseases.
There are already 101 testing labs spread out in the country with two in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) one at the Baguio General Hospital (BGH) and another privately owned based in Baguio. 

LGUs received their Bayanihan Grants equal to one month of their internal revenue allotment (IRA) for 2020 to address the threat of Covid-19.

As provided in Local Budget Circular No. 126, dated 13 April 2020 and in pursuance to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or RA 11469, said Bayanihan Grant shall be exclusively used for procurement of personal protective equipment, reagents, and kits for COVID-19 testing, medicines and vitamins, hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants, sprayers, and other disinfecting supplies and misting equipment.

This among other items as food, transportation, and accommodation expenses of health workers; and expenses for the construction, repair or lease of additional  space or building to accommodate COVID-19 patients and persons under monitoring; expenses for training of health personnel, other necessary COVID-19-related accounts payable (P/A/Ps) and expenses and operation and maintenance of duly established provincial and municipal checkpoints such as provision of foods, medicines/vitamins, personal protective equipment, and disinfecting supplies.

Especially for municipalities, expense for the operation of stand-alone/mobile testing laboratory is provided for in the law.

The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) also forwarded that the 20% development fund of LGUS may be used to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate measures to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19 in their areas by virtue of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 series of 2020. 

               Covid-19 positive cases in the country reached  ­­­­143,749 Covid positive cases, 72,348  active patients, 68,997 recovered and 2,404 dead as of August 12 and the numbers are still rising. In the Cordillera region are 432 Covid infected, 142 active cases, 283 recovered and 7 dead as of August 12 DOH records reveal. 

The Philippines  is the second highest in Southeast Asia with poor health systems with only two nurses per 10,000 people and 10 hospital beds per 10,000 people the lowest in the region according to a United Nations report. This despite billions that the government has already loaned to address the threat of Covid-19.