Consolacion mulls ‘mass testing’ for contacts of COVID-19 patients

Map of Consolacion

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The local government of Consolacion in northern Cebu is eyeing to carry out massive coronavirus disease testing to locate all contacts of their COVID-19 patients and prevent the further spread of the infection.

In a statement that was posted on their official Facebook page, the municipal government announced the plan of Mayor Joannes Alegado to purchase testing tools like the universal transport medium (UTM) for use during the contact tracing.

“Nag-procure na usab ang lungsod ug mga universal transport medium o UTM. Sigon ni Mayor Alegado ang UTM mao ang gamiton sa swab testing,” the statement read.

(The municipal government is now in the process of procuring universal transport medium or UTM. According to Mayor Alegado, the UTMs will be used in swab testsings)

UTMs are used to collect and store specimens.

Read: Portions of Pulpogan, Consolacion a ‘red zone’

The town’s FB post also mentioned of Alegado’s plan to ask the Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID) to appeal that they remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) instead of modified general community quarantine (GCQ) because of the continued rise in the number of infection in their locality.

Consolacion town has already logged seven cases of the coronavirus disease with three recoveries and one death.

Read: Gwen to convene mayors again as Cebu Province prepares for MGCQ

“Apan kini gitimbang timbang pa gayud kay pipila na nga katagi lungsod ang buot mobalik sa trabaho. Bisan pa man nanghingusog ang mayor sa pagpatuman sa mga lagda alang sa kaluwasan sa tanan,” the post said.

(But the mayor is still weighing his options because many of the town residents have already expressed their desire to report back for work.  This, despite the mayor’s campaign to ensure the safety of his constituents.) / dcb