Baguio May Have 4 Probable Covid-19 Positives, One Death

March 22, 2020 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY (March 20, 2020) – Baguio City is not taking any chances with a possible 4 Covid19 positives and the first death, if confirmed. Confirmatory tests have not arrived but Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong is stern, “we will not take any chances” for fear the spread of the disease could practically cripple this highland tourist enclave which earlier cancelled perhaps the country’s biggest festival – Panagbenga.

“One thing was agreed upon during our Thursday (March 19) meeting, that if there is any red flag on Covid-19 cases, then we do contact tracing of the patients,” Magalong said during Friday’s press briefing here.

“We will not wait for the confirmatory test, and doctors will know if a patient is really infected, so we should do the work. Let’s not wait for the confirmation,” he added.

The Mayor likewise said that the single death, though still unconfirmed if because of Covid19 infection, will follow the protocol of having the body cremated within 12 hours. With it, people must be more concerned now and observe social distancing and confinement as the possible cases, with one death, is very alarming, Magalong stressed.

The Mayor, who seemed “have not slept a minute” since the Luzon-wide quarantine was imposed even warned, “If doing the math, there could be about 30 cases now in the city alone.”Doctors were told to be more aggressive if their signs are apparent and that patient is positive, then they proceed with what should be done. “Every day counts,” he said.

Sanitation procedures has been ordered on the Baguio City hall after one of the 5 suspected Covid-19 infected person visited it last week, and was actually in contact with two department heads.

Both city hall officials are now on self-quarantine. “I am not that all optimistic that this will not be over in in one month, not optimistic with two, three could be probable,” Magalong said adding that this is just the start of Baguio seeing more cases in the coming weeks.

“Stockpiling On Protective Items”

Magalong said that the city needs to stock more on alcohol, face masks and the like the next days. For alcohol, stocks do come regularly but the first to go out of stock due to the high demand. Alcohol has been ordered by the drum, he said.

The city is also set to get 500,000 face masks while it disinfection tent will soon be arriving to be used by health workers for their safety.

He also said that there will be more Covid-19 test kits so that there will be a “mass testing” (even) if we buy.

There are only 100 test kits currently at the dispense of health authorities but is not used exclusively by Baguio residents, but also from other provinces with the Baguio General Hospital as a secondary testing center in Northern Luzon.

But Magalong is awaiting the four packs of test kits (1,000 pieces) from SM Foundation Inc.

Thom F. Picaña/Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN