Bontoc Hikes Capacity Of Isolation Centers

February 2, 2021 JUST IN

Bontoc, Mt. Province’s capital, said to be at the epicenter of UK variant transmissions, has expanded the capacity of its Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) to cope with the increasing number of Covid-19 positive cases.
As of 4 PM of February 1, 2021, the whole of Mountain Province has 16 new confirmed cases. Of the 16 cases, 10 are from Bontoc.
The hike was attributed to the aggressive mass testing recently lauched in the capital town.
The said TTMFs of Bontoc can accommodate a total of 169 patients including the Provincial Legislative Building, Senior Citizens Building, Sumya-an Center, Mountain Province Cooperative Bank, Am-ancho Building, MPGCHS Senior High Building, a vacant house in Alab Oriente, Alab Proper Day Care Center, Balili Senior Citizen Building, a number of vacant residential Homes in Bayyo, Bayyo Nursery 1, Bayyo Nursery 2, Gonogon Multi-Purpose Hall, Kidla-a Hotel, and Tocucan Child Development Center.
These shall augment the existing Bontoc LGU TTMF at the Bontoc town hall.
Those who will be admitted in these facilities are asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients and those with mild symptoms.
The Bontoc LGU has earlier inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Provincial Government of Mountain Province for the utilization of hotels as TTMFs for asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19.
The provincial government pledged to pay the monthly rent inclusive of water and electricity charges for two months.
Meanwhile, the Bontoc LGU shall provide 24-hour security to ensure that patients shall not go out from the facility; conduct disinfection of rooms each use and after use; solid waste management; provide beddings of patients; regularly monitor patients to ensure their welfare and to ensure that health protocols are not violated; and shoulder the cost of meals of the patients.
Health officials from the Department of Health (DOH) Cordillera impressed the need to strictly isolate those who have been detected for Covid-19 as a preventive measure to stem the spread of the virus.

Once a patient is immediately isolated, the exposure to infection of his or her family members is minimized.
The health authorities and local officials reminded barangay officials and members of Barangay Health Emergency and Response Teams (BHERTs) of their shared roles and responsibilities in the Covid-19 response.
These include the monitoring of Covid-19 patients and their close contacts who are advised to undergo 14-day quarantine, information dissemination on health protocols, and implementation of IATF guidelines and local issuances.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey pleaded for understanding on the imposed lockdown of Bontoc, Caluttit, Bontoc Ili, Poblacion, Samoki and Tocucan that have recorded a significant increase in the number of positive cases.
He acknowledged though how livelihood has been adversely affected due to the series of lockdowns.

“The lockdowns are necessary to limit the movement of people, thereby limiting the further spread of the virus,” he explained. Lockdowns shall also facilitate faster, complete and efficient contact tracing since everyone are at home, the mayor added.
Artemio A. Dumlao