COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa launches localized targeted COVID-19 mass testing, to confine confirmed cases

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa launches localized targeted COVID-19 mass testing, to confine confirmed cases

IMG_0591
A medical staff member from the Muntinlupa City Health Office performs swab collection as the city starts its targeted COVID-19 mass testing. (source – Muntinlupa City Public Information Office.)

The City Government of Muntinlupa officially started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing yesterday, beginning with persons under investigation (PUI) and will begin confinement of confirmed cases.

Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao said five PUIs were initially transported to a field-testing area located at the local health office by Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERT) and DRRMO personnel for the collection of swab samples.

Swab booths are being used by CHO personnel during the targeted mass testing to lessen the exposure of health workers to possible COVID-19 patients.

Tuliao said the Muntinlupa City Government partnered with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for the processing of samples. The local health officer said the results will be released three to four days after testing.

“Initially, we are testing city residents showing flu-like symptoms and those who are suspected cases of COVID-19. For those who will test positive, we will subject them for confinement and referral to isolation site in Ospital ng Muntinlupa,” Tuliao added.

Confirmed cases will be registered to PhilHealth for medical assistance. While those who will test negative will be allowed to go home, but are still required to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.

Muntinlupa City aims to test all 180 persons under investigation (PUIs) in Muntinlupa until April 17. The City Government recently received 240 test kits from the Department of Health (DOH) and will augment the testing conducted by RITM.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said that through mass testing, the local government would be able to assess the impact of COVID-19 transmission in the city and help identify necessary interventions.

 “We need a more aggressive approach such as the early detection of a COVID-19 infected person to contain the spread of the virus. This localized targeted mass testing is critical in the determination of medical assistance to be administered to our residents and identification of measures to be implemented by the local government,” Fresnedi said.

While mass testing is ongoing in Muntinlupa, barangay health workers continue to daily monitor reported cases of PUI and PUM in the communities and distribute vitamins and medicines for those with underlying conditions.

As of April 12, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 77 confirmed cases with 13 deaths and 13 recovered cases. According to CHO, there are 215 persons under monitoring (PUM) and 180 patients under investigation (PUI). While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 533 cleared PUM and 229 cleared PUI.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.


This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

 

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City records fourteen COVID-19 recoveries, to conduct mass testing of PUIs to “flatten the curve”

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City records fourteen COVID-19 recoveries, to conduct mass testing of PUIs to “flatten the curve”

As of April 13, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 14 recoveries of COVID-19 patients and improving cases of over 590 cleared persons under monitoring (PUM) and 253 cleared persons under investigation (PUI).

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the increase in recoveries and cleared cases translates to the local government’s stricter quarantine measure and pro-active initiative to “flatten the curve.”

Navarro noted that the local health office alerted barangay health workers and physicians in barangay health centers to implement tougher measures against sustained local transmission in the communities.

Muntinlupa health personnel in the barangay daily monitor reported cases of PUI and PUM in the communities and distributed vitamins and medicines for those with underlying conditions.

“The improvement we see in COVID-19 recovered patients and cleared cases can be accounted to the local government’s pro-active community-based campaign in identifying and providing immediate health care assistance to city residents manifesting symptoms of COVID-19 and locals with travel history,” Navarro added.

Isolation areas in barangays were also installed for residents suspected to have contracted with the virus for monitoring by the local health office. A field hospital has been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

In a bid to flatten the curve and strengthen its fight against COVID-19 in the city, the local government is also set to purchase testing kits through its Quick Response Fund and eyes to conduct mass testing of its residents starting with PUIs.

The Muntinlupa City Council approved a resolution allowing Mayor Jaime Fresnedi to procure Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines and testing kits following the rise in confirmed cases and persons under monitoring and investigation in the city.

Fresnedi said a more aggressive medical intervention is needed to effectively contain the virus. He added that early detection of a COVID-19 infected person can deter the spread of the virus and the purchase of PCR machines and testing kits is critical in the determination of the medical assistance which must be administered to the locals.

Muntinlupa LGU has designated Ospital ng Muntinlupa to house the testing area of the PCR machine upon the approval of DOH.

To date, Muntinlupa City has 77 confirmed cases with 13 reported deaths.


This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: 1,191 displaced workers in ECQ employed by Muntinlupa City Government thru TUPAD

COVID-19 Crisis: 1,191 displaced workers in ECQ employed by Muntinlupa City Government thru TUPAD

DSC_0024
Some displaced informal sector workers are now doing work for the City Government of Muntinlupa. (contributed by City Government of Muntinlupa)

1,191 informal sector workers who were displaced by the enhanced community quarantine were employed by the City Government of Muntinlupa through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers including transport drivers of tricycles, jeeps, and pedicabs for a minimum period of ten (10) days.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government recognizes the plight of daily earners and marginalized workers who have lost their livelihood and whose livelihoods are affected by the community quarantine.

“We are providing a temporary wage employment for our displaced workers in the city since they are one of the most hardly-hit sectors in the COVID-19 pandemic. The first batch were already deployed to aid the barangays in the repacking and distribution of relief goods as well as disinfection activities within the respective barangays,” Fresnedi noted.

A total of P6.396 million were allocated for the program under the Local Disaster Fund. The program is facilitated by the local Public Employment Service Office and will be implemented by batches.

The City Government is also set to roll out the DOLE-TUPAD Ko, Bahay Ko Disinfecting/Sanitation (#BKBK) Project fund which will add another 184 beneficiaries from the barangays and additional 522 informal beneficiaries through the DOLE funding from the Office of Congressman Ruffy Biazon. Under the TUPAD #BKBK program, workers shall participate in the disinfection/sanitation of their houses and immediate vicinity of their houses.

In a bid to help affected workers, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi also requested lessors of commercial establishments and residential units to waive rental fees and charges of tenants and partners in Muntinlupa City amid the COVID-19 emergency.

The mayor implored the lessors to extend consideration to tenants and renters considering the huge impact of the closure of business establishments during the quarantine period. Fresnedi hopes for the full support of lessors in the local government’s battle against COVID-19.

As of April 7, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 71 confirmed cases in Muntinlupa with eight deaths and four recovered cases. According to CHO, there are also 290 persons under monitoring (PUM) and 195 patients under investigation (PUI). While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 321 cleared PUM and 120 cleared PUI.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.


This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.