BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – More test kits and a testing facility.
These are what Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia sought from the Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in his “urgent appeal” dated 20 March, 2020.
The letter sought the DOH to provide Bacolod with at least “1000 units of UTM “swab” test kits for COVID-19 as soon as possible”, with more if needed. The letter also sought the establishment of a testing center for COVID-19 “as soon as possible”, to serve both the city and the province of Negros Occidental.
The appeal came with the declaration of an increasing number of PUMs and PUIs in the city, as well as the confirmation of one positive COVID-19 case here.
“With this statistics, it is quite possible that the actual number of positive cases could be more but this remains a matter of speculation only because our City has no supply of the “swab kits” to test potentially positive patients,” the letter added.
The mayor, in the letter, said the situation could be “very alarming” and could compromise the health and situation of the city of Bacolod despite the precautionary measures already undertaken.
The swab test kits, the mayor said, would “forewarn” the city against the pandemic.