Mass testing done in Bontoc to control spread of Covid-19 UK Variant

Bontoc, Mt. Province – Bontoc, Mt. Province became the center of attention after 12 of the 16 detected UK variant of Covid-19 virus were found in the municipality last week, with succeeding reports showing contacts of those positive with the new variant were infected.

In an effort to avert further spread of the said diseases, the Cordillera Regional Inter-agency Task Force with the National Task Force Against Covid-19 through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) started its Aggressive Community Testing (ACT) in this municipality today, January 26, 2021.

Civil Defense Cordillera in a press release said the ACT targets 5,000 tests prioritizing 5 barangays in the area.

Scheduled for the mass testing today are Barangays Samokin and Tocucan, Barangay Bontoc Ili on Wednesday, January 27 and Barangays Poblacion and Callutit on Thursday, January 28.

Said barangays due to their high number of Covid-19 cases are also under granular lockdown, with the implementation of other measures to secure the residents.

In terms of contact tracing, OCD-Cordillera reported that additional contact tracers from Region II and III are now added to the previous contact tracers from the region and from Region I. They are now on the move to complete the search of the first to third generation contacts.

Further, contact tracing methodology and technology introduced by contact tracing Czar Benjamin Magalong is being utilized for databasing, recording and networking of cases or close contacts.

As for isolation and quarantine units, OCD-Cordillera said the NTF and RTF through OPLAN Kalinga together with DOT-CAR, PLGU, and Bontoc LGU facilitated the accreditation of 2 additional Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility (TTMF) in the capital.

Hotels, accommodation establishments, other facilities and schools are being inspected to augment existing TTMFs and isolation units.

To date, Bontoc municipality has a total of 306 active Covid-19 cases.