DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Health Region XI (DOH-XI) and the local government has been conducting community case finding through random testing to trace suspected patients of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city.
DOH Regional Director Dr. Annabelle Yumang said during a virtual presser that the tests targeted barangays where COVID-19 cases are high.
“The community case finding is a purposive sampling; it is testing based on their risk which means they were exposed to a COVID positive patient in their area,” she said.
Selected puroks (sub-villages) from Barangays Leon Garcia, 31D, 27C, Buhangin (San Vicente), and Bankerohan were subjected to random testing starting April 22 and are now waiting for results.
Yumang also confirmed that the new cases of infections came from the said areas.
Based on the guidelines on expanded testing by the DOH, COVID-19 testing is performed on individuals who are at risk of contracting the disease which means suspect cases or individuals with a relevant history of travel and exposure whether symptomatic or asymptomatic and healthcare workers with possible exposure whether asymptomatic or symptomatic.
Meanwhile, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in an interview that another case for swabbing was discovered in Brgy. Daliao. The person turned out to be a neighbor of a COVID-19 positive patient.
“There are individuals who do not go to the hospital unless we will be looking for them. That is the reason why the doctors pushed for an intensified case tracing because of the slow turn-out of positives,” Sara said.
Investigation of the DOH has identified three common nature of exposure to COVID-19, namely, exposure to COVID-19 patients, Matina Gallera derby, and history of local and international travels. (davaotoday.com)
