COVID-FREE. Angeles City Mayor Carmelo ‘Pogi’ Lazatin Jr. visits the Ospital Ning Angeles March 19, 2020 to ask updates from ONA OIC Dr. Froilan Canlas regarding the Covid-19 situation in the city. – AC-CIO Photo
ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo ‘Pogi’ Lazatin, Jr. said that as of March 18, 2020, the city remains free of Covid-19, as reported by Dr. Froilan Canlas, Ospital Ning Angeles officer-in-charge.
Lazatin said if there will be suspected cases of Covid-19, they must first call the 24/7 city hotlines manned by the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
In addition, they should not go to the hospital, instead the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the city government with a Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) and members of the Angeles City Police Office will head to the location of the said patient.
Lazatin said this is to protect the health workers, as well as the frontliners, from the threat of the virus. By having a response like this, hospital space will be maximized.
The said suspected patient would undergo a home quarantine with other family members whom he had contact with. Back tracing will also be done. The QRT, BHERT and ACPO members will monitor them.
When the patient is confirmed positive of the virus, the team will transfer him to the installed container vans near the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center, also known as Ospital Ning Angeles. This is the government‘s isolation area for PUIs. The city government already purchased facemasks, biohazard suits, and other medical equipment including testing kits as part of the drastic measures of the city against Covid-19.
The monitoring of the patient’s family members will be regular and continuous, as well as the house disinfection.
According to Lazatin, the city’s team and health unit is closely monitoring the situation and will routinely communicate information to the community.
