BARMM’s PUIs drop by 61 percent

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Persons Under Investigation (PUI) cases on COVID-19 decreased by 61 percent.

BARMM’s Inter-Agency Task Force (Bangsamoro-IATF) on COVID-19 announced Tuesday, April 7, that out of 254 PUI cases across BARMM, only 100 PUIs are still waiting for results; 136 completed home quarantine; 16 recovered and discharged, and 2 died.

“’Yong curve natin ay bumababa, pero iyong sinasabi nilang magfa-flatten ang curve ay hindi pa nag-flatten dahil meron pa ring natitirang PUIs at PUMs,” BARMM’s IATF Co-Chair and Health Minister Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan said. “Kung sakaling dumating ‘yong panahon na pinapanalangin natin, that will be the time na we can declare nag-flatten ‘yong curve at nawala ang banta ng COVID-19 crisis na ‘to,” he added.

In the entire region, 8 persons tested positive for the said virus. Of these, there were 3 fatalities, 3 recoveries and 2 ongoing cases from Datu Odin Sinsuat municipality in Maguindanao and in Marawi City.

Dipatuan also noted that out of the 7,785 total number of Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs), 2,168 are still undergoing strict home quarantine.

Furthermore, on April 6, BARMM has recorded new positive case, a 54-year-old male from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao who is now undergoing strict home quarantine.

“Ang sabi naman [sa CRMC], kung ang intention lang ng pag-quarantine sa pasyente ay for monitoring, okay lang naman basta’t sa community nila ay masigurado nila ang strict home quarantine lalo na kung ang pasyente ay hindi severely ill,” Dipatuan stated.

He also assured that MOH health workers were properly oriented of their responsibility regarding contact tracing and other related actions to fight the virus that caused a global pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro-IATF has formulated a contingency plan as preparation for the worst-case scenario in light of COVID-19.

BARMM Cabinet Secretary and IATF Spokesperson Mohammad Asnin Pendatun said, “we’re hoping it won’t happen but as far as the proactive approach in the task force, nagkaroon tayo ng contingency plan.” He also added that there are certain indicators to factor in activating the said contingency plan.

“Sa draft ng contingency plan, ang indicator is kapag umabot na sa 10% ‘yong number of affected persons sa buong region kung saan 40% nito ay maka-categorize natin as PUM at ‘yong PUI natin ay umabot, halimbawa ng 4,700, then, we will activate the contingency plan kung saan nakalatag diyan ang iba’t ibang programs at actions patungkol sa health, law and order, public, government services, at transport and mobility ng ating population,” he noted.

He said should there be human-to-human transmission in the region and two or more communities will seek surge capacity [municipal or provincial level], the contingency plan will be activated.

“Ang pakay nito ay matugunan ang pangangailangan ng Bangsamoro sa panahon na umabot tayo sa ganoong sitwasyon. In reality, ang iilan na nakapaloob sa contingency plan ay sinimulan na natin,” Pendatun added.-BPI