Año orders barangays to form health response teams amid nCoV outbreak

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Sunday ordered local chief executives to form barangay health emergency response teams (BHERT) to address the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) outbreak.

In a statement, Año said BHERTs would be tasked to visit the homes of arriving passengers who came from countries affected by the outbreak and list down the names of the persons that the traveler had come in contact with.

The BHERTs would also require these newly-arrived travelers to record their daily body temperatures in the morning and afternoon during their 14-day home quarantine.

"We have to prepare, God forbid, for the possible eventuality that 2019-nCoV ARD reaches our communities,” Año said.

“I, therefore, order our local chief executives to organize BHERTs in all barangays as our effort to be one step ahead of the virus. Kailangan nating paghandaan ito.”

The BHERT would be appointed by the barangay chairman and composed of an executive officer, a barangay tanod, and two barangay health workers.

The BHERT members would be equipped with protective gear such as surgical gowns, goggles, masks, and gloves.

If the BHERT observes any 2019-nCoV ARD symptoms within their communities, they must isolate the concerned individuals and provide them with an N95 mask before they are brought to a designated referral center or hospital.

Persons being monitored by the BHERT who do not manifest any 2019-nCoV ARD symptoms must still be reported to the city or municipal health officer for the lifting of home quarantine.

Earlier on Sunday, the Department of Health confirmed the Philippines’ second 2019-nCoV ARD case and the first death due to the virus outside of China. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News