DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Duterte ordered an intensified surveillance of persons exhibiting symptoms of influenza-like illness such as fever and cough in the community, including offices and establishments, as part of the recalibrated approach of the local government to prevent and control the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections.

Duterte said that children and adults, with fever and cough occurring within 10 days from onset, must undergo a mandatory reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test at swab centers in their respective district health centers or at the Sta. Ana Health Center.

 The city chief executive said that the close contacts of persons suffering from influenza-like illness would be closely monitored and that they would be swabbed if any of the symptoms develop.

 Persons showing flu symptoms will be subjected to mandatory home quarantine while waiting for their RT-PCR test results, she said.

 Those who will test negative for COVID-19 will be released from home quarantine once they recover from flu, except when they need to work or do business, according to her.

 She also directed contact tracers, barangay health workers (BHWs), and Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) to refer manifesting flu symptoms in the community for swabbing.

Duterte also ordered health authorities to make a regular schedule of surveillance swabbing in business and commercial establishments; public places, including, among others, wet markets, supermarkets, and stores; government offices; private offices and agencies; closed facilities such as Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bahay Pag-asa, Home for the Aged, and orphanage; and other barangays and areas deemed high risk by the City Health Office.

The Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 61 new cases in the region as of March 26, bringing the total cases to 21,310, with 836 active, 19,563 recoveries, and 911 deaths.