TWO WEEKS after the city government ordered the interception of locally stranded individuals (LSIs), the Task Force Davao stopped a total of 207 people trying to enter Davao City.
One of the sources of community transmission in the city was traced by the City Health Office to the LSIs. Based on government data, the positivity rate for LSIs is about 10%, which is higher than the city’s average.
But instead of undergoing the health protocol requirements of the Davao City, some LSIs tried to evade the Davao International Airport by arriving at other airports such as Laguindingan, General Santos, and Cotabato.
They will then make their way toward Davao City by land.
At present, the TF Davao checkpoints have intercepted 191 who traveled by land from Luzon and another 16 who came through Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.
Out of 207 LSIs, 108 were escorted toward the available testing center while 99 were escorted to exit points of Davao City.
So far, Col. Consolito Yecla, Task Force Davao commander, there were two LSIs who were intercepted at checkpoint who tested positive after swabbing.
“It is difficult to catch LSIs coming in by land,” he said. “I admired the hard work and commitment of TF personnel in preventing more than 200 LSIs in the checkpoints.”
But he conceded that they are not sure whether or not they managed to intercept all LSIs at their checkpoints. However, he pleaded for those who managed to enter the city to exercise self-quarantine just to be safe.
“Life is still here in Davao City,” he said. “Just wait for the right time.”
Seven LSIs test positive for virus
Meanwhile, seven LSIs who benefitted from the Hatid Tulong program have tested positive following their reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results.
They were among the 92 LSIs who arrived in Davao City on July 27, 2020.
Of the seven, four are Davao City residents and three from the neighboring towns.
Mayor Sara Duterte said the LSIs were temporarily quarantined in a facility exclusively for arriving Davao City residents.
“We are still keeping the three non-Davao City residents who are positive because it is not advisable to move around the patients. But we do not count them in the positive number of the city,” she said.
The City Health Office is looking after the COVID-19 positive patients and the rest of the LSIs who are completing their 14-day quarantine in the temporary facility.
Also, on July 30, Davao City welcomed 82 LSIs from the National Capital Region. All of them underwent RT-PCR testing and strict 14-day quarantine.
Angel Sumagaysay, the head of the Public Safety and Security Command Center, said all LSIs are staying in a school assigned as temporary quarantine facility equipped with 250 beds and hygienic kits.
“There are four beds per classroom wherein occupants will be determined by the city health. Everything is provided by the city government such as hygienic kit, beddings, and of course, their meals for 14 days,” Sumagaysay said.
