MANILA – Davao City has reverted to general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the month due to an increase in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said a One Hospital Command Center would be established in the city to ensure an efficient referral system. Private hospitals were mandated to increase their ward bed occupancy by at least 20 to 30 percent.
“Further, efforts will be made to address the shortage of nurses in health facilities and to provide additional high-oxygen cannula, favipiravir (Avigan), remdesivir, medical equipment, among others,” Roque said in a statement.
“Accommodation establishments will be tapped to serve as quarantine facilities for health workers as well as isolation of COVID-19 patients,” he added.
Law enforcement agencies were also directed to assist in the enforcement of granular lockdowns upon affected communities or clusters, and if necessary, deploy personnel in the city, Roque said.
Melquiades Feliciano, deputy chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 for the cities of Bacolod and Cebu, will also assist in the response activities in Davao City.
Meanwhile, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said they would follow such recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Davao City, which was previously under modified general community quarantine, has recorded 5,541 COVID-19 cases, of which close to 2,000 are active./PN
