Duque: 20,000 individuals need to be contact traced in Bulacan

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday said that 20,000 individuals should be contact traced in Bulacan based on the number of active coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the province.

According to Mav Gonzales’ report on “24 Oras Weekend,” Bulacan reported a total of 2,018 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 788 recoveries and 58 fatalities.

Earlier, several officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the National Task Force on COVID-19 visited Bulacan as cases surged in the province. Bulacan is in the warning zone as its COVID-19 beds and isolation rooms are almost full.

“Ang inyong quarantine facility, bed capacity medyo malaki ang kulang kaya nandito naman kami para magbigay ng suhestyon na ang DepEd ay papayag naman na gamitin ang kanilang public elementary school buildings to augment your need for more isolation and quarantine facilities,” Duque said.

In preparation for a further rise in cases, authorities are looking to build a Bulacan Community Mega Quarantine Facility which will have a 100-bed capacity.

Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando said that even if Bulacan is placed under a general community quarantine, they will maintain strict protocols.

“Naka-pabor pa rin po kami sa lockdown ng mga zoning areas. Ano po, ‘yan po ang pinaka-mahala sa lahat at [kapag] hindi natin maghihigpit aba’y dadami na naman po ito. Nung nag MECQ nakabawas po kami,” Fernando said. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News