Bohol creates working group on prevention, handling possible coronavirus cases

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — The provincial government of Bohol on Saturday created a technical working group (TWG) for the prevention and handling of possible cases of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Acting Gov. Rene Relampagos formed the TWG following reports that two Chinese nationals who visited the province as tourists had been suspected of carrying the deadly coronavirus.

The two Chinese nationals, aged 2 and 36, were eventually released from the hospital after swab samples were taken from them.

According to Anthony Damalerio, head of the provincial disaster risk and reduction management office, the first meeting of the TWG on Saturday, January 25, at the New Emerging Infectious Diseases (NEID) office was attended by different government agencies.

Damalerio said the Department of Health (DOH) categorically stated that there were no confirmed nCoV cases in Bohol and in the entire Philippines yet.

An incident management team (IMT) will also be created as recommended by DOH-7.

At least 172 Chinese tourists arrived in Bohol last Friday but did not show symptoms of the coronavirus.

The Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilara and Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay town have set up isolation wards while timely information is expected from the surveillance activities of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit.

Damalerio also offered the use of one dedicated TaRSIER117 ambulance to be manned by the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital’s infectious disease health team to transport suspected coronavirus patients from the airport or port to the isolation room of the hospital.

The Port Management Advisory Council comprised of shipping operators and port stakeholders under the Philippine Ports Authority was also expected to immediately meet to discuss matters on how to prevent the entry of the nCoV.

Relampagos said it is important to take a proactive stance in preventing the entry and spread of the virus since majority of tourist arrivals in Bohol are from China.