DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 January) – The surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Davao City due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant “will likely last until mid-March this year,” Mayor Sara Duterte said on Monday.
Duterte said during her program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that the city, which is now on the second week of another fresh COVID-19 surge, is predicted to see a rapid increase in infections in the weeks ahead due to Omicron, the fastest-spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“It is expected to climb. At one point during the Delta variant surge, we had 14,000 cases. We are very far from the peak of this surge with the Omicron (variant),” she said.
Duterte said the local government continues the implementation of Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment and Rehabilitation or PDITR strategy for COVID-19.
The mayor told the public to be extra cautious when they go out while emphasizing the need to keep wearing masks in public places, and to not let their guards down even when they are at home since it is possible that there are other family members who are infected with the virus but do not show signs and symptoms of the disease.
She added that several individuals may think they do not have COVID-19 for manifesting mild symptoms only.
Duterte reminded the public to observe minimum public health standards to lessen the risk of contracting the infection.
As of January 23, Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 1,395 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 63,205 with 8,037 active, 53,348 recoveries and 1,820 deaths.
As cases continue to overwhelm health care facilities in the city, Duterte said the local government has already approved home isolation, but clarified that this is only intended for patients who have a bathroom in their bedroom.
She said the city has a capacity of only 2,606 beds for isolation and quarantine.
“On quarantining and isolating, this is quite flexible because we have an option for house isolation, provided that they meet the criteria of the DOH. This lessens our burden of adding or establishing additional TTMFs (temporary treatment and monitoring facilities),” she said.
The mayor said the local government is willing to provide support to overwhelmed private hospitals in the city.
“In our treatment, we see our hospitals making announcements that they have reached full capacity mainly because they have reached the limit of their COVID-19 beds and health care workers get infected with COVID-19. Even if we have beds, we may run out of healthcare workers because they also contract the virus,” she added.
The city recorded 822 houses, one building and one compound placed on hard lockdown due to the transmission of the virus, she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)