DOH to undertake mass testing in Tuguegarao City

By Liezle Basa Inigo

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The Dept. of Health is targeting to test at least 3,500 individuals for Covid-19 in this city in a four-day undertaking.
    Gov. Manuel Mamba said this will include police, barangay officials and tanods, and other frontliners.

    Provincial Health Officer Dr. Carlos Cortina III  said mass testing will be conducted in Tuguegarao City due to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases that could have been triggered by the effects of typhoon Ulysses last Nov. 12 when thousands had to be taken to evacuation centers because of the massive flooding.

    “Napabayaan pansamantala ang minimum health protocols at ang muling pagsipa ng bilang ng mga positibong kaso sa lungsod (Minimum health protocols was overlooked, as well as the surge of positive cases in the city)” a press statement issued by Cagayan Provincial information Office said.

    Mass testing for Covid-19 in Tuguegarao City started Nov. 24 and will last until Nov. 26.

    A contingent from the DOH Central Office arrived with a 30-man team that will conduct swabbing.

    The team also brought tents and testing equipment.

    The target of mass testing in the city are families with active cases, the victims of the floods, especially the person, who became symptomatic at evacuation centers, will also be examined.

    Earlier, Mamba has expressed alarm over the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Tuguegarao City.

    According to Mamba, the local transmission of the coronavirus has been quite disturbing in the aftermath of the widespread flooding that was caused by typhoon Ulysses that displaced thousands of residents in the province.

    The Cagayan Provincial Information Office reported Nov. 22 that 15 residents of Tuguegarao tested positive for Covid-19 on Nov. 20, bringing the number of active cases to 133.