14 of Quezon City’s COVID-19 cases sent home following DOH directives

Fourteen COVID-19 cases in Quezon City were sent home following their test for the virus following the directive of the Department of Health, according to Saleema Refran’s Monday report on “24 Oras.”

Under DOH Memorandum 2020-0108, "persons under investigation (PUIs) and positive COVID-19 patients who exhibit mild symptoms with no co-morbidities and non-elderly are advised to be sent home for strict self-isolation and close monitoring by local health authorities."

Of the 14, four patients belonged to urban poor communities, including one who has a  kidney disease needing dialysis twice a week.

Quezon City epidemiology and surveillance unit head Rolando Cruz said the patients were not practicing social distancing measures upon checking them at home.

“Nakikita namin na walang home quarantine o self-quarantine na nangyari doon sa loob ng bahay,” Cruz said.

“Nandoon sila with their families, wala man lang nakasuot ng face mask so that’s dangerous,” he added.

To contain the further spread of the virus in households, Cruz urged the public to coordinate with the city government so they can put them in one place, especially if they are living in urban poor communities.

“We cannot have COVID patients in urban poor communities,” Cruz said. “Sasabog ‘tong (pandemic) na ’to kung we will continue to do that.”

With the situation, the city government said seven of the COVID-19 patients were transferred to HOPE 1, an alternative medical facility, while the dialysis patient was put in a hospital.

According to Quezon City spokesperson Pia Roces-Morato, the COVID-positive patients were sent home following the DOH protocol.

“We are not only following protocol but we’re also looking into who needs to be addressed first kasi ‘di ba may mild symptoms, severe symptoms,” Morato said.

Moreover, all PUIs that will be detected from the contact tracing and from city government-managed hospitals such as Quezon City General Hospital, Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital and Novaliches District Hospital, will be quarantined at the HOPE 1 facility while they await test results.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City government has also prepared 100 isolation tents at the Quezon City Memorial Circle to serve as an additional quarantine facility for PUIs and PUMs.

A total of 65 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have already been reported in Quezon City as of March 23. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News