Magalong notes improved contact tracing except in Metro Manila

There have been improvements in the contact tracing efficiency ratio across most regions except in Metro Manila, contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong said on Friday.

"Three months ago, ang national contact tracing efficiency ratio is just one is to two. And last week umaakyat na po 'yan, three weeks ago nakikita po namin 'yung significant na progress. In fact there are already three regions in the entire country na umakyat na ng one is to 11," Magalong said at a Palace briefing.

"The good news is we see a lot of improvements in the other regions... 'Yung iba naman is nandu'n sila sa 1:8 and 1:7. Unfortunately for NCR, nandu'n pa rin siya sa 1:5, but they started with 1:2," he explained.

The efficiency ratio for the Cordillera Administrative Region had reached 1:22, Magalong added.

The government was aiming for a ratio of one is to 30, with 1:37 for urban areas and 1:30 for rural areas.

Magalong and testing czar Vince Dizon recently visited General Santos City to provide support to the local government unit amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the said region.

Medical workers in General Santos City have called on the local government to impose a two-week enhanced community quarantine, after the Philippine Medical Association in GenSan said two doctors, three nurses, and seven other medical staff contracted COVID-19.  — DVM, GMA News