BACOLOD City – For a more systematic and
comprehensive work of locating possible coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
cases in this province, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO)
has strengthened the composition of its contract tracing team.
NOCPPO public information officer Major Edison Garcia said that they have
reorganized the team on April 23 based on the directive of the Department of
the Interior Local Government (DILG).
Under DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-073, which provides the “Guidelines for the Conduct of Expanded Testing Procedures for COVID-19”, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will lead the contract tracing.
The Provincial Contact Tracing Team – comprised of eight members – is led by an investigator from the NOCPPO Provincial Investigation and Detection Unit and assisted by a member of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros Occidental.
They are joined by personnel from the Provincial
Intelligence Unit and police nurses assigned at NOCPPO headquarters.
The team is coordinating closely with the Provincial Health Office for the
maximum and timely sharing of information.
All city and municipal police stations in this province are also tasked to
organize their own contract tracing teams.
As of April 26, Negros Occidental has four confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Patient No. 1, a 41-year-old woman from E.B. Magalona town has already recovered,
while Patient No. 2, a 43-year-old man from La Castellana town, is currently
under quarantine at a patient care center.
Patient No. 3 is a 38-year-old man who traveled from The Netherlands and
arrived in the country on March 24. He is a resident of Silay City.
Patient No. 4, a 41-year-old man, arrived in the country from Finland on March
17. He is from Candoni town.(With a
report from PNA/PN)
