Gov't wants 37 individuals traced per COVID-19 patient, says Vergeire

The government is eyeing to trace at least 37 individuals who have been exposed to a COVID-19 patient during the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and nearby areas, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday.

Vergeire said that such improved contact tracing effort will mirror the strategy done by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who has since been appointed as the country’s COVID-19 testing czar.

“We are going to adapt the RABI model which was adapted from Mumbai (India) where they did house to house and they were able to identify all symptomatic (COVID-19 patients),” Vergeire said in an ANC interview.

“They were able to test them and their contacts. Somehow, they were able to contain the transmission,” she added.

The new procedure will be implemented first in Metro Manila and Region 4-A where several provinces are under MECQ from August 4 to 18.

“There are different officials going on the ground, and together with the local health officials, we will be able to identify symptomatic (COVID-19 patients) in barangays and we will be able to isolate them. We should be able to trace at least 37 persons,” Vergeire said.

The government has 60,000 contact tracers so far, short of the ideal number of 180,000 as set by the Department of Health.

“We will not wait for patients to come to the system. We will find them,” Vergeire said in another forum.

The government is planning to hire 50,000 more contact tracers more but this plan is yet to come to fruition as the funding for hiring will be provided under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which Congress has yet to pass.

The Philippines has recorded 112,593 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 66,049 have recovered while 2,115 have died.

There are 44,429 active COVID-19 cases as of August 5. —KBK, GMA News