Primer’s COVID-19 Daily Update: April 6, 2020

To keep you in the loop on the recent COVID-19 situation in the Philippines, Philippine Primer rounded up the latest updates you need to know:

Number of cases

As of 4:00 p.m. today, the Department of Health (DOH) has reported 414 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, raising the total number to 3,660.

DOH also reported 9 additional recoveries and 11 new mortalities resulting in a total of 73 recoveries and 163 mortalities.

First COVID-19 case in Caraga

A 68-year old patient from Butuan City is the first resident of the Caraga Region to test positive for the disease. The said patient also suffers from diabetes with chronic obstructive lung disease. The patient has a record of travel history in Manila during the third week of March.

With this, the pandemic has officially reached every region in the country. Also effective today, the Caraga Region is also now under Enhanced Community Quarantine.

UP-NIH can produce 8,000 test kits in a day

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the University of the Philippines – National Institute of Health (UP-NIH) can produce up to 8,000 locally made test kits in a day. As the agency recently approved the commercial use of the UP test kits, around 26,000 test kits are now ready to roll-out.

As of April 3, 2020, there are 80,000 test kits left according to the DOH. They are now targeting to conduct 3,000 COVID-19 tests per day by April 14 and around 8,000 test per day at the end of April.

Ninoy Aquino Stadium converted into a quarantine facility

The Ninoy Aquino Stadium inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will house COVID-positive patients with mild or no symptoms by April 8. Admitted patients will have access to power outlets in each cubicle, a nurse call system for each, and free WiFi. Food will also be available for both the patient and the attending staff.

Interactions are still prohibited none the less but the said facility will have a visitors’ station feature outside where clothes or laundries can be dropped and picked up. The stadium can accommodate over a hundred patients.

THREAD: The Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex has been converted into a quarantine facility.

It will be ready to accept COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms starting Wednesday | @CarolynBonquin pic.twitter.com/dixJ2Mcqcf

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) April 6, 2020

RITM prioritizes COVID testing over HIV

In a recent post from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM), they said they are suspending the testing of HIV cases and that they are prioritizing the testing of COVID-19 patients.

Include the middle class in SAP said Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla

In a Facebook post early today, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla appeals to President Rodrigo Duterte to include the middle class in the Social Amelioration Program (SAP). The Governor stated that these middle-class men are those that houses are on the mortgage, or whose sending their children to college, employed around Manila, or if not, are factory workers, etc.

The Governor hopes that his appeal would reach the President and would land a consideration from one leader to another.

Free bus ride for healthcare workers now accessible nationwide

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) recently launched a free bus ride for healthcare workers around Metro Manila and has now expanded into the whole nation. This is in collaboration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

From the National Capital Region, the free bus ride now extends to Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. In line with this, the routes can now be accessed through Google Maps.

To use Google Maps:

1. Launch Google Maps via app or web.
2. Enter your intended destination.
3. Tap “Directions”.
4. Select the public transit tab. This is the train icon which comes after car and motorcycle icons.
5. Maps will immediately pull up a recommended route which uses the DOTr’s hospital shuttle routes, when available.

Special allowance for public health workers

Under the Administrative Order 28, a one time COVID-19 special risk allowance is granted to public health workers during the ECQ. Any public healthcare worker that is attending to COVID-19 patients, persons under investigation, and or persons under monitoring are subject to the special allowance.

A public health worker is categorized as follows: regular, contractual, casual, or part-time, job order, and even barangay health workers.

BREAKING: President Rodrigo Duterte signs Administrative Order No. 28, granting a special allowance to frontline health workers.

Follow our live blog for updates: https://t.co/yg5M6mHzmF pic.twitter.com/EtV3sKuq0Q

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) April 6, 2020

The said allowance is pro-rated based on the number of days the public health worker physically reported to work. For those who were present at work for three to seven days will get 25% of the incentive, those who worked for eight to 12 days will get 50%, 75% is allotted for those who worked for 13 to 17 days, and 100% incentive for those who worked for 18 or more than.

 

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Sources Philippine Information Agency-Caraga, Lalawigan ng Rizal Facebook, Philippine Inquirer, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Health, Jonvic Remulla’s Facebook, Department of Transportation, CNN Philippines