CONTRACT tracing efforts improved by 94 percent as probable cases were being traced daily and 91 percent were isolated within 24 hours.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año said the fast turn-around was achieved through the 110,378 contact tracers (CTs) that catered to 105 million population.

“Kita sa mga datos na maganda po ang contact tracing sa ating komunidad at kanayunan. Malaking tulong dito ang ating mga LGUs, BHERTS at mga pulis dahil mas mabilis na nating matukoy ang close contacts ng kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19,” Año said.

In a report submitted to Año by the DILG Central Emergency Operations Center (EOC), some 14,756 out of 15,635 probable cases were traced within 24 hours and 14,266 (91%) of them were isolated in the same period.

Meanwhile, 6,769 out of 8,139 (83%) of confirmed cases were traced and 6,410 (79%) of them were quarantined.

In NCR Plus which has exhibited a downward trend, Año said 26,234 contact tracers have been deployed.

Of which, 11,182 (97%) out of 11,524 suspected cases were traced within 24 hours and 10,814 (94%) were isolated in the same period.

A total of 4,158 (90%) of confirmed cases were traced within 24 hours and 4,121 (89%) were immediately quarantined within 24 hours.

Ano said hiring additional contact tracers may no longer be a priority of some LGUs considering limited resources and their shift of focus to COVID-19 vaccination roll-out.

“Our contact tracers are our heroes in the fight against COVID-19. Without them we would be losing this battle. Mabuhay po kayo!” he said

He commended the LGUs for ramping up the vaccination roll-out nationwide that led to the 1.1 million doses of vaccine consumed last week, a record that allowed the country to surpass the 5 million mark.

“Our LGUs all over the country have risen to the challenge of vaccination. As more vaccine supplies arrive, they are able to make adjustments and expand their operations as we proceed to mass vaccination,” he said. Jun Legaspi

He said that the National Task Force is working closely with the concerned LGUs and private sector with a goal of vaccinating 70% of the NCR+8 eligible population by November 2021, and the rest of the country next year.

“While more supplies are sent to NCR + 8, we will still continue to ship supplies to all parts of the country, especially the provincial centers of gravity where a spike of cases has been recorded,” he said.

He said that more than 5 million Filipinos have received a COVID 19 dose. There has been no confirmed case of death caused by a COVID 19 vaccine and any serious side effect to any of the vaccines in the country is rare.