The Davao City government is readying to equip five places identified as the city’s quarantine centers for Persons Under Investigation (PUI) of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection.

Inspections have been conducted to these places as possible PUI centers. These are the Malagos Rehab Center, La Vida Inn located in Maa, Alternative Learning School (ALS) beside People’s Park, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) near Malagos Rehab Center, and the Queensland Hotel which has offered its 240 rooms to the city government. Another company is EMCOR, which is converting container vans into a facility to accommodate PUIs.

Mayor Sara said the PUI centers will help the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in admitting people who exhibit symptoms of the Covid-19 infection. PUIs are not considered positive cases and not in critical condition.

Mayor Sara said that in a meeting of the Task Force Covid-19, the Department of Health (DOH) agreed that PUIs exhibiting mild symptoms of Covid-19 such as cough and colds should not be admitted in hospitals because of limited facilities.

The mayor said Dabawenyos who exhibit symptoms of Covid-19 should go to PUI centers, instead of being admitted to hospitals.

“Dunay mga PUIs who insist on staying dinha sa mga hospitals. I think as a PUI, and dili pa naman ka sigurado na Covid-19 positive ka pero you exhibit symptoms of Covid-19, mas better off ka diri sa atoang mga centers because wala ka sa sulod sa hospitals nga duna nay positive. (There are PUIs who insist on staying in hospitals. I think 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),” she said.

Mayor Sara assured that the PUI centers will be equipped with medicine and facilities, and medical staff trained for infectious diseases. CIO