CEBU CITY, March 26 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 urged the public to stay at home and avoid going out unless necessary.

In line with this, DOH-7 Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas announced on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, that press conferences with DOH-7 will no longer take place in compliance with the social distancing directive.

Bernadas explained that reports can be obtained from the command operation center at DOH-7 which will also be releasing daily updates.

Proactive containment

DOH also announced in the same presscon that as of March 24, 2020, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) tested 31 patients, 25 of whom tested negative while six are still subject for further confirmation.

These tests are awaiting confirmatory results from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM).

However, proactive containment is being done to protect the patient's family and the community.

The number of confirmed cases in the country has reached a total of 501 with 33 deaths and 19 recoveries.

On available facilities

DOH-7 has also advised hospitals in the region to gear up in accepting SARI patients while local government units are encouraged to prepare containment facilities to cater to those with ILIs having mild symptoms.

Bernadas has earlier entered into a memorandum of agreement with Rev. Fr. Mev. Fr. Manuel Uy, S.J., Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-ADC) School President, has also entered into an agreement for the use of the school building located along General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City as a COVID-19 response center.

Currently, VSMMC uses two testing machines, but is expected to use four in total within the week as the additional two machines from South Korea are currently being installed.

Bernadas stressed that government health facilities here are ready to expand their capacity in the event that the number of cases drastically increase. (poc/PIA7)