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#FlashbackFriday: As the confirmed cases of #COVID19PH in the country continue to rise, let's take a look back at the government's preparations for #COVID19PH, and what they are doing now.
Back in January 2020, when the deadly coronavirus started to spread in different countries, the Department of Health was quick to investigate suspected cases of COVID-19 in the country, while the Bureau of Quarantine was placed on high alert.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
From our archives: In the same month, Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon asked the Civil Aviation Authority to suspend direct flights from Wuhan, China to Kalibo Aklan, even though there was no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country yet.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Airports started to scan people's temperature in an attempt to monitor possible cases of #COVID19PH.

But after a while, the Civil Aeronautics Board agreed to suspend all flights coming from Wuhan, China and repatriated its passengers.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
At the same time, the Bureau of Immigration started to temporarily deny "Visas Upon Arrival" to all Chinese nationals coming from Wuhan, China.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
In January 2020, the country had 27 patients under investigation, including one PUI death due to pneumonia.

But getting PUIs' results took days as the country didn't have its own testing kits yet.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
On the last week of January 2020, the country was finally able to get its own testing kits that could diagnose PUIs for #COVID19PH after 48 hours.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
But just a day after getting the kits, the DOH announced the first confirmed case of #COVID19PH in the country, a 38-year-old woman from China who was asymptomatic.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
The announcement of the first #COVID19PH case led a few senators to urge for a temporary ban on all travelers coming from China.

But despite strong calls for a ban, both the DOH and the Palace said there is no urgent need for it.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
The Palace asked people to remain calm despite the entry of #COVID19PH in the country.

The government did not ban travelers from China yet, but said stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus were in place.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
From our archives: After the recommendation of the Department of Health to ban travelers from China, Duterte finally announced a ban on all passengers coming from areas in China with confirmed #COVID19 cases.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
On the first week of February 2020, the Department of Health confirmed another case of #COVID19PH, and announced that they have traced all the contacts of the two patients.

However, they were not able to reach all of them due to erroneous contact info.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Within 24 hours, the second recorded case of #COVID19PH in the country, also became the first #COVID19 related death outside of China.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
With two confirmed cases of #COVID19PH back in February 2020, the Department of Interior and Local Government ordered the creation of "barangay health emergency response teams" or "BHERT" to help once the deadly virus reaches local communities.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
And although the first #COVID19 death outside of China was recorded in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte said in February 2020 that Filipinos did not need to be scared of the virus.

Read full story here: philstar.com/headlines/2020…
In February 2020, President Duterte also said that he is ready to expropriate private facilities and convert them to quarantine centers or hospitals if the Philippines is hit by the outbreak, which is now a #COVID19PH pandemic.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
A month ago, Duterte also ordered the release of P2.25 billion for the procurement of personal protective equipment for 5,000 health workers.

The budget was expected to last up to three months.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
While the country had 267 PUIs and only three confirmed cases in February 2020, the Department of Health already recommended calling off mass gatherings as a precautionary measure against #COVID19PH.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Duterte also assured local government units back in February that the country had enough funds if #COVID19PH goes out of hand.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Despite DOH's advise to call off big events, a part of the government focused its efforts on mitigating the economic impact of the virus by holding a nationwide sale, which was also later on canceled due to #COVID19PH.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
For some time, the #COVID19PH scare waned as the country did not record new cases for weeks, compared to neighboring countries.

But threats of the virus reemerged when two foreigners who have been in the country tested positive for #COVID19.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Within a week after reports about the foreigners circulated, the DOH confirmed two additional cases of #COVID19PH on March 6, 2020.

Then, the department started to record more cases, bringing the country's total to hundreds from the initial three cases.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
With the sudden jump in #COVID19PH cases in the country, the Philippines was placed on a state of public health emergency.

But how exactly does the Department of Health process potential #COVID19PH cases? Find out here:

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Meanwhile, on March 2020, the House committee on appropriations approved a P1.6-billion budget to help in DOH's fight against #COVID19PH.

But the amount DOH needed to address the threat of COVID-19 was at P3.1 billion — almost double the approved budget.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
As the number of PUIs for #COVID19PH in the country continued to grow, PhilHealth announced that they will shoulder the testing costs for #COVID19.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
And with the rising #COVID19 cases in Metro Manila, President Duterte decided to place the region on "quarantine," implementing measures such as social distancing and suspension of work and classes.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo previously said that the Philippines would take South Korea's lead in implementing a total lockdown.

However, SK has not implemented a lockdown, but rather mass-testing to "flatten the curve."

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Days after the declaration of a quarantine, President Duterte suddenly announced a "Luzon-wide community quarantine" in an attempt to further strengthen the fight against #COVID19PH.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
However, the string of stringent measures that came with the quarantine led to more problems such as transportation for health workers and front liners.

Some LGUs and government units were able to address the problem through transportation services.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
But as the country records more cases of #COVID19PH, resources start to deplete leading hospitals to appeal for a "COVID-19 designated hospital."

The DOH then announced that a building of PGH and Dr. Jose M. Rodriguez will only serve #COVID19 patients.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
As of now, health workers and frontliners continue to appeal for PPEs and basic necessities such as food packs as they continue to fight against #COVID19.

Here is a running list of fundraisers and donation drives to support those in need:

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
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Philstar.com
@PhilstarNews
Sen. Francis Tolentino announced he tested negative for COVID-19 in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.

Though he was privately tested with other senators showing no symptoms, DOH guidelines say only symptomatic patients may be tested.

philstar.com/headlines/2020…
Tolentino, with fellow senators Pia Cayetano, Panfilo Lacson, Imee Marcos, Grace Poe, Ramon Revilla Jr., and Senate President Vicente Sotto III got tested by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for #COVID19PH.
Senator Nancy Binay also previously announced on Facebook that she was negative for #COVID19 Image
Read 10 tweets
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Philstar.com
@PhilstarNews
The DILG has clarified that there will be no implementation of a Metro Manila-wide curfew. Cities may only impose curfew if they have ordinances in their respective areas, according to DILG spox Usec. Malaya. | via @romina_marie
@romina_marie Malaya said the Metro Manila Council resolution is only recommendatory, urging LGUs to pass or amend their respective curfew ordinances. | via @romina_marie
@romina_marie While localized checkpoints will be set-up by the police to "discourage" movement of people around Metro Manila, Malaya made clear that no arrests can be made by police unless there is a curfew ordinance in the city. | via @romina_marie
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Philstar.com
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Among most Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines so far has the highest running mortality rate from COVID-19 at 9.62%. This is more than double the global average of 3.6% and higher than mainland China's 3.91%.

Get live updates on #COVID19 here: bit.ly/live-covid
Medical experts worry that in developing countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, underdeveloped health facilities may be unable to fully capture the number of infections.

Get live updates on #COVID19 here: bit.ly/live-covid
The struggle of the Philippine health system amid COVID-19, we covered here: philstar.com/business/2020/…
Read 3 tweets

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Mary Noel Berje |Chief Press| Niger State Governor
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COVID-19: IT'S NIGER REPUBLIC NOT NIGER STATE

The attention of Niger State Government has been drawn to an online publication claiming a confirmed case of COVID 19 in the state.
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Thomas Wood 🌊
@twoodiac
FWIW, I for one no longer believe the numbers of new cases being reported by the Republic of China, or the claim that the country has succeeded in suppressing #COVID-19.

I no longer find the numbers being reported (typically one of two new cases per day) to be believable. 1/17
The novel #coronavirus has a high transmission factor: is apparently mutating rapidly; and has a pathological profile that makes case tracing *very* difficult. (As for the latter factor, see Osterholm at 3:30+) 2/17 tinyurl.com/rp3ajaw
Furthermore, the Chinese numbers have always differed from the finding outside China that a significant number of young people become seriously ill from the virus, and that a large percentage of carriers are asymptomatic. 3/17
Read 19 tweets
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Ameya Kulkarni, MD
@ameykulkarnimd
Lots of talk about the expected surge in ICU and hosp beds with #COVID. I’ve been hearing about reducing elective case burden (great thread from @ajaykirtane about that). We should also be rethinking our hospital approach to conditions that will continue in the covid era 1/n
Most obvious is with #STEMI care. If your hospital doesn’t have an ED bypass protocol for stemis - probably a good time to develop one. Ours at @VHC_Hospital has 1 min pitstop in ed w ems txp to cath lab - less pt exposure time to ED and less burden on ED resources 2/n
Also with #STEMI care - No icu for stable pts w normal EF should be standard. For most of these pts ICU is not necc and creates unneeded exposure for pt and occupies much needed ICU beds. (I think @agtruesdell had a great thread on this a while back) 3/n
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Laurel Chor
@laurelchor
As a Hong Konger, I continue to be baffled by the public response in Europe. Though most are concerned, many are still acting like it's nbd. HK was in the news because of #COVIDー19 a month ago. There are travel advisories against HK. Peopled abroad asked me about it. 1/
There are STILL only ~130 cases in Hong Kong. There are now 798 cases in the UK & ppl are still out & about as if nothing is wrong. When I was in Milan (at a time when there were 3,000 cases), I was shocked at the lack of concern, including from police & health workers. 2/
When I was in Milan, I didn't understand how relaxed people were, and I felt like I was the crazy one. I kept trying to convey my disbelief and the severity of the situation to my colleagues, and how worried it made me for Italy – and Europe. 3/
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Ali
@aliostad
I will start today's thread on #COVID in Iran, following up from yesterday's #irancorona
DISCLAIMER:

The GOOD
- Government in a complete reversal taken #COVID seriously
- As per contacts, many stay indoors if they can

The BAD:
- Explosion of cases in new cities
- Tehran seems to be next
- Extreme shortage of basic hygiene supplies
- Street collapses continue
#irancorona
Read 37 tweets
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Jairus Grove
@SavageEcology
#COVIDー19 @ewarren @BernieSanders We need a progressive agenda on epidemics STAT! There is going to be panic, an emergency, hoarding and if Dems in office and Dem candidates do not prepare an agenda that is more than Trump is screwing up then Trump ultimately will win.
1. RELIEF FUND: Until we have univ. health care we need an emergency health relief fund. The # of critical cases, meaning cases requiring significant medical intervention, are more than ten fold the number of deaths. For many this will result bankruptcy levels of medical debt.
2. ER COVERAGE: Health Insurance companies should not be allowed to deny coverage for treatments that are not 'pre-approved' or "FDA approved' as all of the treatment options for severe cases of COVID are 'off-label'
Read 21 tweets

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