With Davao City registering an average positivity rate of 8.3 percent from July 24 to 31, 2022, the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force urged Dabawenyos to continue wearing face masks and observe proper hand hygiene even as it reminded establishments and offices to strictly implement the minimum public health standards (MPHS) in their respective areas.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, the spokesperson of the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, said: “The 8.3 percent is still very high. Before usual nato is one to 1.5 percent, then nag-raise ta sa three percent, nag five percent – that’s the acceptable positivity rate. More than that dili na na sya acceptable (Before we usually had one to 1.5 percent then it increased to three percent and reached five percent, which is the acceptable positivity rate. More than that, that’s not acceptable anymore).”
The city logged a total of 400 COVID-19 cases as of 6 p.m. on July 31 – 216 of which are asymptomatic cases, 140 mild, 10 moderates, two severe, and one critical.
Of the 369 cases as of 6 a.m. on July 31, 206 are on approved home isolation, 57 are admitted to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), 20 are for endorsement to facility assignment, and 19 are isolated in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMFs) in the city, 19 isolated in TTMFs in the city, 16 admitted in private hospitals, 15 are under the Davao Doctors Hospital Home Care Program, 11 are still for triaging, and six are isolated in TTMFs outside Davao City.
Dr. Schlosser, during the COVID-19 Alert program of the 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), said it is fortunate that the city is allowing home isolation for mild and asymptomatic cases to help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. She said this is also the reason why they are pushing for vaccination as it is proven to protect against the severity of the disease.
Citing the 148 active cases as of July 24, she said that 57 percent are transmission in hospitals. “Daghang pagtakod is outside transmission, outside households. Una diha ang sa SMPC being our apex or official COVID-19 hospital, dili lang patients pati gyud mga health care workers (Most of the infection is outside transmission, outside households. Foremost is at the SPMC, our apex or official COVID-19 hospital, not only the patients but also health care workers are infected),” the city health official said.
At least 21 cases were traced from public markets, supermarkets, and malls while 13 cases are from workplaces and offices. Dr. Schlosser said that it is inevitable to have cases in these areas as the economy in the city has been fully functioning and in full capacity status since Davao City was placed under alert level 1 status in March 2022.
She added that it’s a strong reminder that there should be no room for leniency in implementing the wearing of face masks and the hand hygiene practice.
“To all mall goers, please observe the minimum public health standards. Wear your face masks. Imagine nakatapad o nakaistorya nimo inside the mall infected na diay. Ang uban ana ginatanggal nila ang masks. Wala’y pulis magsunod-sunod ninyo, it will be your sense of responsibility. Kung madakpan mo, you will be penalized, mapasakaan gyud mo og kaso (Imagine sitting or talking with someone inside the mall you never know is already infected. Others even take off their masks. No police personnel will follow you around, it will be your sense of responsibility. But if you get caught, you will be penalized, and you can be sued),” Dr. Schlosser said.
Since infection is inevitable and COVID-19 is an unseen enemy, she said vaccination and getting booster shots are the best layer of protection against moderate, severe, and critical symptoms of the disease.
Check out the vaccination schedule of operational district health center-based vaccination sites here ? https://bit.ly/3OXFT1X. CIO
