Cagayan de Oro local gov’t threatens to sue virus-infected people resisting isolation
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The local government here has threatened to file charges against individuals who refused to be picked up from their homes even as they are confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
This came as acting city health officer Lorraine Nery revealed that some individuals who were taken from their homes have shown resistance to be transferred to designated isolation facilities.
“To tell you honestly, there are still some who have a little aggression because they don’t want to be extracted. Ever since we have experienced these kinds of challenges,” Nery said.
“We would like to remind them that we have a law. We can still actually convince them but it would take a long time. It will be an added effort on the part of our team,” she added.
Nery reminded that under Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, it is mandatory for persons with COVID-19 to submit themselves to health authorities.
She added that people must take it upon themselves as a duty to help curb the transmission of the virus.
Mayor Oscar S. Moreno has earlier ordered that even if they are asymptomatic, individuals who tested positive for the coronavirus must be brought to isolation facilities to prevent the further spread of the disease at home.
He noted that many of the recent infections are in the homes and workplaces and social gatherings.
“If we talk about transmission, there is a great risk for those positive cases who are still in-home quarantine. Even if they are isolated inside their houses, the chances of transmission are very high,” he said.
Moreno confirmed that 231 virus-infected individuals are still on home quarantine.
According to Nery, there are 24 isolation facilities in the city with a total capacity of 1,258 beds.
Due to the surge of infections in the last 10 weeks, these facilities have been close to being fully occupied.
As of Wednesday, the city had 1,630 active cases, of which 399 are admitted in hospitals while 1,231 are in isolation facilities.
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