The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office here is strengthening the capacities of its field officers and the local government units (LGUs) for the implementation of zoning containment strategy against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Through an online forum held on Tuesday, the DILG Pampanga, together with its field officers and partner LGUs, shared the necessary knowledge and information on how to contain the spread of Covid-19 at the community level.
DILG-Pampanga Director Myrvi Apostol-Fabia, in a statement, said the forum underscored the implementation of the zoning containment strategy where emphasis is placed on the importance of testing, surveillance and reporting as a strategic approach to stem the spread of the virus in the community as soon as it has been detected.
Dr. Renely P. Tungol, city health officer and incident commander here, provided technical expertise on the zoning containment strategy and drew on the experience of the LGU on the implementation of the localized zoning containment strategy.
Tungol said the immediate and proactive response of the LGU is crucial to the entire chain of containment strategy which involves contact tracing, testing and treating of patients and close contacts.
“While doing so, the LGU also strikes a balance between safeguarding the health and safety of the residents and ensure that the local economic activities in the concerned area are unhampered,” he said.
The second part of the knowledge sharing activity focused on the orientation on the revised harmonized contact tracing report that was jointly created by the DILG and Department of Health (DOH).
With the revised reporting template, Fabia said the DILG, as the lead agency in contact tracing activities, hopes to resolve all discrepancy in data reporting for the proper management of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in this province reached 261 after 11 new infections were reported on Wednesday.
A total of 152 patients have recovered from the dreaded disease while 18 died. (PNA)