Apayao posts 1,320 Covid cases ; ‘spreaders’ hunted

MASS TESTING. A total of 1,647 individuals underwent swab testing during the first day of the aggressive community testing on Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2021) in the towns of Flora and Sta. Marcela in Apayao. The aggressive community testing was sought by the provincial government after the province continued to log a spike in Covid-19 cases. (Photo courtesy of Jerzon Sebastian/ PGO) 

By Liza Agoot

LUNA, Apayao – Authorities said the province recorded a total of 1,320 Covid-19 cases from August 13 to 25, that placed the whole province under Level 4 category requiring immediate action to increase the capacity of its quarantine and isolation facilities.
    The Dept. of Health Covid-19 tracker released August 25 showed Apayao had 951 active cases compared to the region’s total of 2,598.
    All seven municipalities in the province have been placed under Level 4 with bed occupancy for its hospital care placed under 93.94 percent utilization. Apayao has 64 isolation beds.
    The DOH also reported that the local government unit established 24 temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMF) with a total of 1,060 beds which is currently with 45.47 percent utilization.
    The provincial government of Apayao, and the National Task Force -Covid-19 are now searching for persons who are carriers of Covid-19.
    In a social media post, the provincial government said the aggressive community testing started August 24 covering identified high-risk barangays in the towns of Flora and Sta. Marcela.
    Each of the seven municipalities was included in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing that lasted August 28, which the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Health (DOH), and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is implementing.
    Separate swabbing centers were earlier set up by the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Forces in coordination with the Provincial IATF targeting a total of 7,000 individuals.

The provincial advisory said two days before the aggressive community testing, target barangays for specimen collection were placed under total lockdown until the results are released.

There were 43 barangays identified where residents are mandated to undergo testing.

In a related development, Gov. Bulut-Begtang placed the town of Luna under enhanced community quarantine August 25 to Sept. 8 to curb the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Record showed that as of June 23, the town has recorded a total of 984 cases since the pandemic started last year with 292 active cases. -- PNA