The Emergency Operation Center for COVID-19 cases in San Carlos City is urging residents tested positive for the coronavirus to be honest and truthful in the information they give to contract tracers.
We warn them not to hide details needed by tracers to help check the spread of the virus, said Councilor Wilmer Yap, a physician, who is the EOC incident commissioner.
The EOC was organized through an Executive Order issued by Mayor Renato Gustilo, on Nov. 17 to address the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in the city. As of Nov. 25, the city registered 364 confirmed cases, 46 of which are actives. Recovered cases total 295 with 25 deaths reported.
The Nov. 25 figures on confirmed cases represent an increase of almost 100 percent (from 184 cases) since Oct. 25, down from a spike of about 250 percent recorded between Oct. 13 – Nov. 13.
Dr. Yap, in a Nov. 24 meeting, warned that patients must not withhold needed data following reports monitored by EOC that some of them failed to provide tracers details of their contacts and pertinent information.l
Yap said withholding information is punishable by law as he cited the provisions of R.A No. 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern.
Violators of the law will be held accountable and be penalized, he said. The penalty includes a fine of between P20,000 and P50,000 or imprisenment of not less than a month but not more than six months, or both “at the discretion of the proper court:”
Yap reiterated that withholding information on their close contacts will likely lead to the spread of the disease by exposing others to the risk of infection.
The EOC also reminded contact tracers to strengthen their data gathering efforts on individuals who have been exposed to patients tested positive of the coronavirus.
