The City Health Office (CHO) will conduct a virtual conference with their counterparts in Iligan City as part of Cagayan de Oro City Hall´s assistance to them in handling their local COVID-19 cases.

“Ang problema nyo, problema sad namo. We are in this boat together. Magtinabangay kita. This matter requires some special focus. The latest data from the Department of Health (DOH-10) showed that 22 local COVID-19 cases were recorded which is more than the 12 recorded COVID-19 cases involving locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs). Of the 22, nine are from Lanao del Norte province and 13 are from Iligan City,” Mayor Moreno said during Thursday noon´s (Aug. 13) press briefing.

All 12 COVID-19 cases involving LSIs and ROFs are from Lanao del Norte, Mayor Moreno said. The 22 local COVID-19 cases recorded in northern Mindanao is the most recorded in the past five months considering that most COVID-19 cases registered in Region 10 since late May involved LSIs and ROFs, Mayor Moreno said.

“Based on the past few months, we aren´t so nervous about the LSIs and ROFs so long as they are properly cared for. But local COVID-19 cases are more challenging since you have to do contact tracing and it´s magnified if the patient stayed in a congested area. Between July 12 and August 12, northern Mindanao registered 103 local COVID-19 cases,” Mayor Moreno said.

In volunteering City Hall´s assistance to Iligan City, Mayor Moreno said both Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City are neighbors in northern Mindanao and as such, fall under the same quarantine status as the rest in Region 10.

“Whatever happens to Iligan City will impact largely on us so we help them as much as we can,” Mayor Moreno said.

Mayor Moreno specifically cited the critical care utilization rate (CCUR) for Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), the region´s apex COVID-19 referral hospital, as a crucial factor in determining northern Mindanao´s quarantine classification which is up for review by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) either on Aug. 15 or Aug. 16.

A hospital´s CCUR is measured by the number of isolation units, mechanical ventilators and intensive care units in current use amid the pandemic.

“NMMC has 12 intensive care units, 12 mechanical ventilators and 25 isolation rooms/units. If God forbid the hospital exceeds its use of ICUs, ventilators and isolation units due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, this may result in a downgrade of northern Mindanao´s quarantine status and result in a lockdown that will make the lives of the people of Cagayan de Oro harder than it is now. And we are trying to avoid that by helping Iligan City whatever way we can,” Mayor Moreno said.