By Christine Fabro
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri called on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for their help in controlling the COVID-19 situation in Northern Mindanao.
In a press release, Zubiri said the regional IATF has reported a 300% rise in cases in Lanao del Norte, while Cagayan De Oro has reported that their case number has risen to 9,622 from just over 100 in March.
He added that in Bukidnon, the medical frontliners are already struggling to deal with the sudden surge of COVID-19 patients.
“Our hospitals are already filling up. I know that Bukidnon Provincial Medical Hospital is full, along with some of our private hospitals. And Northern Mindanao Medical Center has already raised its status to Code Red, with 50% of their operating capacity taken up by COVID cases,” Zubiri said.
“I am appealing to the IATF to impose stricter measures in Northern Mindanao to control the rise of cases, and to instruct the regional IATF to enforce these measures now before the outbreak gets worse,” he added.
A change in quarantine classification in the region might be beneficial, said Zubiri, adding that localized lockdowns in areas with particularly alarming surges would help.
The reinstitution of the negative COVID-19 test requirement for inbound travellers might also be needed to curb the COVID-19 surge in Northern Mindanao. –jlo
