Tag: COVID 19

US starts contact tracing the old-fashioned way, but ‘it’s late’

by Ivan Couronne Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) — Taiwan and South Korea have led the world in digital contact tracing for the COVID-19 pandemic — an example the US with its emphasis on personal privacy and decentralized system of government is unlikely to be able to follow. Instead, states and cities are opting to hire thousands of public health workers who will have to carry out the laborious task of phoning everyone with […]

DOH: Majority of 40 COVID-19-positive RITM employees with minor symptoms, asymptomatic

(Eagle News)–Only two of the 40 employees of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine who were infected with COVID-19 are confined in a hospital. In a television interview on Wednesday, April 22, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the two patients were aged 50 and up. The rest of the 40, she said were only under home quarantine. “Maliban doon (sa dalawa), ang ibang empleyado ay may mga minor (symptoms) at asymptomatic naman sila kaya […]

MIAA releases list of operational commercial flights for Wednesday, April 22

(Eagle News)–The Manila International Airport Authority has released its list of operational commercial flights. MIAA said the list was for Wednesday, April 22: Flight schedules may be subject to changes, MIAA said. Flight operations have been reduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the MIAA saying all flights would be concentrated in Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. MIAA said this was in a bid to reduce the risk of exposure of airport workers […]

102 Filipinos repatriated from Côte d’Ivoire, US arrive

(Eagle News)–Over 100 Filipinos repatriated from Côte d’Ivoire and the United States have arrived in the country. The Department of Foreign Affairs said of the 102 Filipinos, five were land-based workers of Toa Corporation from Abidjan and 97 were crew members of MS Norwegian Joy, docked in Los Angeles, California. The repatriation was facilitated by the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, and the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, together with the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary […]

DFA reports 94 new COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos, total breaches 1,000 mark

(Eagle News) – The Department of Foreign Affairs reported 94 new cases of COVID-19 involving overseas Filipinos, bringing the total number to 1,084 as of Tuesday, April 21, 2020. “[T]oday the DFA reports that the total number of Filipinos abroad infected by COVID-19 has breached the 1,000-mark with 94 new cases from the Americas, Europe, and ASPAC”, the DFA said in a statement. Recoveries were recorded at 269, with 153 deaths across 42 countries and […]

DILG to LGUs: Focus on contact tracing

(Eagle News) – Local government units were directed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to focus and intensify contact tracing efforts, in view of the LGU-led strategy adopted by the government to combat COVID-19. In a statement, DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that the main focus of the local-level contact tracing is to detect, isolate, treat, and reintegrate COVID-19 positive patients, “in accordance with the National Strategy to Defeat Covid-19 of […]

Police to arrest, charge ECQ violators to stem COVID-19 rise in NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon — PNP chief

  (Eagle News) – Violators of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will no longer be warned, but will be arrested and filed with appropriate charges, the Philippine National Police warned. In a statement released following a virtual presser held Tuesday, April 21, PNP Chief Archie Gamboa said that the PNP will strictly enforce the ECQ throughout Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, Region III and CALABARZON, as well as in areas with high or increasing COVID-19 […]

“Good news,” says DOH: ECQ further slowed doubling time of COVID-19 cases; most cases confined to NCR

  (Eagle News) – The Department of Health said that the doubling time of the coronavirus cases, meaning the time it takes for the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to double, has further slowed down. From three days, the doubling time has now slowed down to five days on the average, according to experts. This is one of two “good news” that the DOH announced on Tuesday, April 21, more than a month after the […]

Sampaloc district in Manila to be placed on 48-hour “hard lockdown” on April 23

  (Eagle News) – Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed on Tuesday, April 21 the executive order imposing a 48-hour “hard lockdown” of the entire Sampaloc district due to COVID-19. In a statement, the Manila Public Information Office said that the lockdown will be “from 8:00 pm on Thursday, April 23 until 8:00 pm on Saturday, April 25”. “[H]ealth authorities will be conducting disease surveillance, testing and rapid risk assessment as the city’s response […]

142 COVID-19 cases recorded in Pasay

(Eagle News)–The number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in Pasay has reached 142. According to the Pasay government, of the 142, 21 have recovered while 17 have died. Barangay 183 has the most number of COVID-19 cases, at 16, followed by ten for  Barangay 34. The local government said 36 were suspect cases, while 12 were probable. “Wag po tayong magpaka-kampante,” the local government said as it reminded residents to stay at home, practice physical […]

DOJ discussing possibility of conducting COVID-19 tests at women’s correctional facility

(Eagle News)–The Department of Justice is discussing the possibility of conducting COVID-19 testing in the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made the announcement after 18 inmates and one Bureau of Corrections employee tested positive for the virus. The 19 were close contacts of a first inmate who tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted in the Sta. Ana hospital. According to Guevarra, they were “talking to certain parties, including the […]

More than 3,000 quarantine facilities for COVID-19 with bed capacity of over 211,000 in place nationwide

  (Eagle News) – There are now more than 3,000 quarantine facilities that have been set up in the country, as the government further ramped up efforts to increase isolation centers for mild and suspect cases of COVID-19. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that at least 3.052 quarantine facilities with 211,474 beds have been established nationwide as of April 18. “This does not include the mega quarantine facilities or We Heal as One Centers such […]