By Warren Valdez

DAVAO CITY –  A series of emergency meetings with medical directors of private hospitals of Region 11 was conducted by government health authorities here, Wednesday, in a bid to get a strong commitment from them to admit patients amid the threat of local transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a Department of Health (DOH) 11 official said. “So far yesterday, they were able to commit some number of beds that they can give in case there are patients that will be admitted for COVID. That is what we are doing,” said DOH 11 director Annabelle Yumang in an interview with the City Government’s radio station - Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5 FM) on Thursday. “As of now, even though we only have PUIs here, we are urging the commitment of our hospitals in care there will be an increase in the cases that they will have to accept these cases.” The regional director said what was really needed right now was the cooperation from everyone in the community. “From our private sectors, government sectors, all of us must help. Because if it is going to be done by one or just the local government alone, it’s difficult. What we need is the cooperation and commitment of each agency,” Yumang said. Meanwhile, the DOH also called for the public to observe the preventive measures issued by the Department amid the confirmation of a positive case for coronavirus in Cagayan de Oro. “As of now, we do not have any additional advisories, apart from that, we just have to really intensify our preventive measures,” said Yumang. Yumang said the preventive measures being implemented will play a big role in keeping everyone from infections, commending the local government officials for initiating precautionary measures following the threat on the local transmission of the COVID-19. “Thanks to our local officials that they are doing their part in preventing the possible threat of COVID here,” she said. Yumang said, should there also be a case here in the region they will be intensifying the implementation of contact tracing. “This contact tracing means it will trace the history of the person positive of coronavirus of who were the persons he or she had direct communication with, the places that he visited will also be inspected to also check the other persons in the area so as for them to be monitored for them not to get sick,” she said.