Did you know that contact tracing efforts in the country have improved a lot as 94% of probable cases are traced daily and 91% are isolated within 24 hours, thanks to the army of contact tracers nationwide, said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that this fast turn-around time is achieved through the 110,378 contact tracers (CTs) who cater to the health-care needs of our 205-million population.
In a recent report submitted to Año from the DILG Central Emergency Operations Center (EOC), he said that 14,756 out of 15,635 probable cases/suspects are traced within 24 hours and 14,266 (91%) of them are isolated in the same period.
Meanwhile, 6,769 out of 8,139 (83%) of the confirmed cases are traced and 6,410 (79%) of them are isolated or quarantined in that span of time.
Here in Ilocos Norte, the hiring of contact-tracers has proved to be vital as the province continues to face the growing number of COVID 19 cases every day.
Clearly, the contact tracers’ efforts can’t be disregarded since they are essentially the first individuals to be meeting face-to-face with the suspected COVID-19 victims in order to get first-hand information and facts for government records.
While we all stay at home, these contact tracers are always on the go to get their job done by going around our communities, viz a viz the high risk of being infected while personally mingling with them (COVID patients).
Most likely, when new COVID cases surge, we expect more contact tracer’s services are also in demand.
Indeed, they are the newest unsung heroes in the fight against COVID-19. Without them, each locality would be losing the battle versus COVID, the invisible enemy. (IS with a report from DOH)
