THE City Government of Cagayan de Oro City is ramping up its defenses against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) following the emergence of localized transmission in the country.
City Hall employees, clients, and guests are mandated to have their body temperatures taken by the City Security Unit before entering the premises using their non-contact infrared thermometer from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"Pahibalo tood sa tanan natong mga kaigsuonang Kagay-anon ug dili taga dinhi nga kun naa moy tuyo sa City Hall, please cooperate ra mo kay ang atong mga gwardya nay temperature scanner. Gawas nga i-scan ka, naa pay tatak kay meaning to say nakapa [scan na ka]," Acting City Administrator Teodoro Sabuga-a said.
Sabuga-a on Monday, March 9, said the City Government at present has 10 temperature scanners. The additional 50 temperature scanners have yet to arrive.
Two of the thermal scanners will be used for functions, conventions and other crowd-generating gatherings or events in the city.
The Emergency Operations Center of the city has been activated, with the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management heightening its monitoring.
Sabuga-a also reminded the City Hall employees to not take advantage of the current health issue, like using Covid-19 as an excuse to skip work.
"Ang amo lang sa mga empleyado nga if ever naay mga rason nga gamiton nila kining Covid, kanang gitawag nila nga hilanat wala sila moopisina, dapat i-inform gyud nila ang ilang mga administrative officer sa matag department para kung mag report sila, ang atong Barangay Monitoring Team nato maoy mobisita actual sa ilang balay," Sabuga-a said.
"Pagsiguro nato nga di sad maabusuhan. Mao na nga ato sad nang klarohon," he added.
Starting last Friday, March 6, the number of confirmed cases of the Covid-19 increased from three to five to 10, as of March 8. On Monday, March 9, 10 new cases have been reported, bringing the total to 20.
City Health Officer-in-Charge Dr. Lorraine Nery said the fifth confirmed case of Covid-19 is the first case of local transmission in the country.
The fifth confirmed case is a 62-year-old male Filipino with known hypertension and diabetes mellitus and who experienced cough with phlegm last February 25. He has no known history of travel outside the country.
His wife also tested positive for Covid-19, making her the sixth case.
The public health emergency declaration, Nery said, will allow various government agencies to focus all their resources to address and stop the spread of the deadly virus.
