Iloilo gears up for returning LSIs as cases spike

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

Iloilo province is actively preparing for the resumption of the repatriations of Locally Stranded Individual (LSI) amid the sudden surge in confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Monday said he expected the spike in COVID-19 cases attributed to LSIs due to their management in Manila and Cebu and the repetition of their tests upon arrival in Iloilo.

Sixty-four of the 91 new COVID-19 cases in the region reported by the Department of Health (DOH) on July 12, 2020 were in Iloilo, 53 of whom were LSIs.

“That was our expectation, that it would rise, because that batch would come from those two last voyages with many [LSIs], with their social distancing from Manila which we saw was unmanageable. I expected that this would be dangerous if they were to return here, and true enough. What I expected, and the fact that it was delayed, was that it would come out altogether. Because when the results first came out, they were many and they repeated the tests to be sure, and it turned out the same, that’s why they came out like that,” the governor said.

In the meantime, Iloilo is preparing for future LSI arrivals through programs for the Rural Health Units (RHUs).

“We are preparing in the meantime, as we have directed our departments. We are returning to the basics. We are now implementing a program from the Provincial Health Office which is a refresher for our RHUs, in using PPEs (personal protective equipment), something they already know, except that, when we are three months into quarantine, quarantine fatigue is subsisting,” Defensor said.

He noted that the suspension of LSI repatriations was beneficial to the province, especially to the towns’ quarantine facilities.

“We expect that by July 15, there would be many graduates of our quarantine facilities. That’s also the purpose of the suspension, so that in the meantime, we can rest our quarantine facilities. Between now and the 15^th, our quarantine facilities would be more stable, they can conduct inventory, then we will see if we can ask for a short extension,” he said.

The guidelines on LSI repatriations have yet to be released, but Defensor said that he was promised by national government authorities that they will only send a number that matches the province’s capacity to receive.

“We will also wait for the guidelines because I know in principle what will happen, but we are waiting for the guidelines of the [Inter-Agency Task Force] based on their plans. They committed to us, to our LGUs, that they will send depending on our capacity,” he said.