Mayor Josefina Belmonte formed a task force to monitor and address cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoVARD) in Quezon City in accordance with a directive by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Belmonte said the task force is composed of the QC Health Department (QCHD), Public Affairs and Information Services Department, Barangay and Community Relations Department and the Solid Waste Management Department, among others.
“It is better to be ready than be surprised by the possible cases in the city,” said Belmonte.
Three local hospitals — Quezon City Medical Center, Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital and Novaliches District Hospital — were also included in the task force.
“These departments will work hard to fight against the emergence of nCoV in our city, but they are also ready to act if needed,” she added.
Meanwhile, Belmonte slammed the spread of fake news online, claiming cases of nCoV in the city. “We have to call these circulating online reports as fake news. As of now, no one in Quezon City has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus,” she said.
But Belmonte confirmed that a Filipino couple, with a travel history to China as part of their work as seafarers, went to the Diliman Doctors Hospital (DDH) because of back pain.
“The couple has a travel history to China so the Quezon City Health Department, DDH and the Department of Health decided to bring them to the San Lazaro Hospital for extensive check-up, Belmonte said.
“The city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) assisted in the transfer with its staff wearing full protective suit,” she added.
QC DRRMO head Mike Marasigan said the two did not want to ride the ambulance so they used their personal car and were escorted by health officials en route to San Lazaro Hospital, where they were advised to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days after they found no clear symptoms of nCoV.
The QCHD had been regularly monitoring the couple’s condition since, according to Belmonte.
“Quezon City remains free from novel coronavirus,” she said.
The mayor also advised local residents to follow the Health department’s advice on how to prevent the spread of nCoV.
These include frequent and proper handwashing, covering of the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands after sneezing or coughing, using alcohol or sanitiser, ensuring that food is well-cooked, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to boost immunity.
Dr Esperanza Arias, QCHD head, has oriented medical doctors about nCoV and activated fever lanes in various health facilities.
“We have co-ordinated with the DRRMO regarding the transport of patients under investigation (PUIs) and will include coronavirus in our pre-clinic lectures and in their information drive on polio,” Arias said.
Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office frontline responders and logistics personnel gear up in preparation for dealing with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), after the first case was confirmed in the Philippines.
