Contact Tracing Boosted in 3rd District

Efforts to contain the virus that causes COVID-19 continues in the third district of Negros Occidental with the training of some 100 inviduals on contact tracing.

Third District Congressman Francisco “Kiko” Benitez and Abang Lingkod Party-list Representative Stephen “Caraps” Paduano are holding the two-day Metro 3rd Seminar on Contact Tracing that started yesterday.

The seminar is hosted by the City of Victorias and is on its last day at the Don Alejandro Acuña Yap Cultural and Civic Center in Victorias, participated by representatives of the five local government units in the district.

The seminar was made possible with the help of Major General Mel Feliciano (retired), Inter-Agency Task Force Deputy Chief Implementer in the Visayas, and his team.

The seminar aims to boost the contact tracing capability against COVID-19. Graduates of the training are expected to also share their knowledge when they get back to their communities to further boost efforts in defeating the virus.

In urging Negrenses for their cooperation to contact tracers, Rep. Benitez said, “it is important that we contain the virus. We have to do the contact tracing quicker than the virus… and identify those who are infected.”

He acknowledged that the present situation is difficult because of local transmissions.

“Before it was easier because those infected by the virus were returning OFWs (ROFs) and locally stranded individuals (LSIs). It was easier to monitor based on their arrivals. But now the local transmission, so we need a sophisticated contact tracing,” Benitez said.

Rep. Paduano meanwhile said the activity is well-coordinated with the Negros Occidental Provincial Government and is an offshoot of their local officials’ meeting with Feliciano and other NIATF officials.

Paduano said there is a need to double time for the protection of everyone, especially in the third district. He is encouraging other LGUs to conduct the same seminar on contact tracing.

COMMAND CENTER, TELEMEDICINE
Benitez and Paduano revealed yesterday at the seminar venue that a district-wide command center will complement the Provincial Command Center.

“We need to have a 24/7 staff for the contact tracing and identification of potential viral cases,” Benitez said.

Paduano at the same time disclosed that they will set up a 24-hour Telemedicine hotline where they will hire three doctors to man it 24 hours to answer questions from the people in the province, including Bacolod City, for quicker response relative to the Covid-19 pandemic.*