QC’s Belmonte orders close COVID-19 watch on 6,000 Rolly evacuees

MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered Quezon City’s health department to continue strict supervision and monitoring of the estimated 6,000 residents who have returned to their respective homes on November 2 after evacuating due to Super Typhoon Rolly.

“We will make sure that any possible infection will be prevented from spreading further to the communities,” she said in a statement Friday.

In this file photo, a contact tracing team of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) of the Quezon City government conducts house to house tracing of possible COVID-19 patients in Brgy. Baesa on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. The LGU hired 300 new contact tracers to assist in tracking down persons who are possibly exposed to the coronavirus. The team is accompanied by a plainclothes police officer. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Dr. Rolando Cruz, head of the City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU), said the evacuees will be contacted every two weeks. He also said city authorities will ask about their health status and whether they are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19 during the strict monitoring period.

“We’ll exhaust all our means to contact and monitor our evacuees, ensuring that everyone is covered,” he said.

Individuals who are suspected to have the coronavirus will be given a swab test and be sent to the nearest barangay or Hope quarantine facility in their area.

“We implore the cooperation of our citizens who were evacuated this weekend. We need your openness and honesty about your health status—symptoms or no symptoms,” Belmonte added.

Belmonte said the city currently has 768 active cases of COVID-19, while recoveries are marked at 21,589 or 94 percent of the total validated cases in the city. Miggy Dumlao, trainee

KGA

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