Tiangco attributes decreased COVID-19 positivity rate to test-trace-isolate efforts

The positivity rate of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection in Navotas City has gone down by nine percent—from 23 percent before mid-July to 14 percent today—which Mayor Toby Tiangco attributed to the city's testing, tracing, and isolation efforts.

In a public virtual briefing on Thursday (Aug. 20), Tiangco noted that tracking down the close contacts of COVID-19 patients and also identifying the close contacts of the COVID-19 patients' close contacts within 24 hours are important to prevent the spread of the disease.

He said this is what they are doing in Navotas City.

"Pagkatapos po ma-determine yung 'primary case'...eh tatawagan po ng doctor at sasabihin na siya ay nag-test positive sa COVID-19. Napakahalaga po na within 24 hours, ma-contact trace po siya, ma-interview po siya ng ating contact tracing team (Once we have determined the primary case, they will be contacted by a doctor and told they are COVID-19-positive. It is very important that within 24 hours, they are interviewed by our contact tracing team)," he said.

"It's also important that we know their close contacts within 24 hours. And right after their close contacts are tested, we ask for their close contacts as well, so in case that they test COVID-19 positive, we will have their preliminary close contact list," he added in Filipino.

To ensure that all suspected coronavirus carriers participate in contact tracing efforts, Tiangco said, they are asserting various laws that impose penalties on those who refuse to cooperate.

"'Yung mga close contact naman ay dapat ding ma-test po lahat, hindi po pe-pwede silang tumanggi kapag sila po ay na-identify na close contact...  Kapag ayaw nila, papa-alala po sa kanila 'yung provisions ng R.A. 11332 (All patients' close contacts should be tested. They cannot refuse if they have been identified as close contacts. If they refuse, they will be reminded of the provisions of Republic Act No. 11332)," he said, referring to the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases.

In terms of isolation, Tiangco said, both the local and national governments have joined hands in immediately isolating suspected and positive cases. Home quarantine is also no longer allowed.

As of Thursday, 1,451 individuals have been sent to various central isolation facilities not only in the city but also in other parts of Metro Manila. Some of them have already recovered.

"Dahil nga po 'di tayo pumapayag ng home quarantine, napuno po 'yung local isolation facilities natin. Kaya 'yun, tumakbo agad kami sa national government at ito po 'yung mga na-accommodate nila (Since we're not allowing home quarantine, our isolation facilities immediately reached their capacity. So we asked for the national government's help and they accommodated our patients)," he said.

"It's a fast process. Once we inform the national government that we need a certain number of beds, for sure, the beds will be ready by tomorrow," he added in Filipino.

Navotas has two isolation facilities with a 210-bed capacity. But the city is now adding more by converting more than 30 container vans into isolation units, which will have 120 beds.

Tiangco said once this new isolation facility is done, they will implement a new protocol that those still waiting for their swab test results will no longer be allowed to go home and instead will undergo quarantine in the city's isolation units. 

They will only be allowed to go home once they turn negative, while those who are positive for COVID-19 will be brought to the national government's isolation facilities.

Currently, Navotas City can conduct 1,000 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests. The local government is offering it for free, particularly to the city employers and their employees, but Tiangco noted that not everyone is taking advantage of it.

"Kahit po nakikiusap kami na magwalk-in sila, hindi pa rin sila pumupunta. Like noong 2,000 (tests per day kami), ang pinakamataas na nagawa namin is 1,300. Ngayong 1,000 ang capacity natin, 438 lang as of yesterday ang nag-avail noon (Even if we are asking them to be tested by walking in, they don't come. Like when we were conducting 2,000 tests per day, the most we conducted was 1,300. Now that we are conducting 1,000 tests, only 438 availed of it yesterday)," he said.

Tiangco said he hopes that everyone will avail of it because it is for free. It will also allow the local government to immediately identify coronavirus carriers.

Of the city's 267,000 residents, 9.36 percent or 25,004 of them have been tested.

As of Thursday, a total of 3,953 individuals in Navotas City have been found positive for COVID-19, but 115 of them died and 2,935 recovered.