COVID-19 pandemic in Bangsamoro explained

COVID-19 pandemic in Bangsamoro
Map1:COVID-19 pandemic cases in Bangsamoro.svg
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Disease:COVID-19
Virus Strain:SARS-CoV-2
Location:Bangsamoro
First Case:Lanao del Sur
Arrival Date:March 11, 2020
Origin:Wuhan, Hubei, China
Confirmed Cases:27,745
Recovery Cases:26,931
Deaths:595

The COVID-19 pandemic in Bangsamoro is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 . The virus reached the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on March 11, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in Lanao del Sur. Cases has been confirmed in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and the independent city of Cotabato.

Timeline

The first overall COVID-19 case in Mindanao is a resident of Lanao del Sur who went home from San Juan, Metro Manila. The case was that of a 54-year-old man who was admitted at the Adventist Medical Center in his home province and was referred to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center on March 8, a health facility outside the region in Cagayan de Oro after he is suspected to have COVID-19. The case was confirmed on March 11. The man had no known travel history abroad and was suspected to have contracted the disease while he was in Metro Manila.[1] The patient died on March 13 becoming the first COVID-19 death outside Metro Manila.[2]

From March 26 to April 1, three cases were confirmed in Cotabato City which is linked to a cockfighting derby in Matina, Davao City.[3] The first case in Maguindanao which was confirmed on April 6 is also linked to the Matina cluster.[4] The Matina cluster accounts for at least 40 other confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mindanao as of April 22.[3]

A leaked advisory from the Bangsamoro regional government dated April 1, listed Lanao del Sur and Marawi as one of the areas in the whole country to "with local transmission/under enhanced community quarantine". The region's Ministry of Health later issued a clarification that the document is still unofficial and not final and dispelled rumors arising from the leak that the two localities have already have local transmission of COVID-19.[5]

No additional cases in the region, not accounting for Cotabato City, were reported after the first case in Maguindanao was confirmed.[6] The region recorded an additional case on April 18 bringing the total COVID-19 cases in the region excluding Cotabato City to nine cases.[7]

Sulu is the first among the three island provinces of Bangsamoro to confirm a COVID-19 case. The province confirmed its first case on May 1, that of a 63-year-old male in Indanan who died on April 19.[8] Basilan recorded its first case on May 27, when a Tipo-Tipo resident tested positive for COVID-19 who was referred to a hospital in Zamboanga City.[9] Tawi Tawi recorded its first case on July 5, that of a 44 year old police officer from Bongao. He is a locally stranded individual who returned to the province from Quezon City by transiting through Zamboanga City and Basilan.[10]

In October 2020, Lanao del Sur, including Marawi, were under modified enhanced community quarantine; the highest level of community quarantine imposed in the Philippines at the time.[11]

Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay on the Bangsamoro transition process due to suspension of the Bangsamoro Parliament which is tasked to legislate priority codes, the region's Administrative, Revenue, Electoral, Local Government, and Educational Code.[12]

Class participation rates in the region declined due to the pandemic. On the official first day of classes for the 2020–21 school year on October 5, 2020, it was reported that Bangsamoro had a class participation rate of 70 percent across both public and private schools in the region.[13]

Response

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) of the Philippine national government in April 2020, has appointed Bangsamoro Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim to lead the regional inter-agency task group for Bangsamoro.[14] The Bangsamoro regional government has allotted at least for its response against the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.[15] The regional government allocated to its local government units. The aid allocated to the Cotabato City was not received due to its city government not submitting the pertinent documents.[12]

In March 2020, Lanao del Sur and Marawi were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).[16] Tawi Tawi[17] and Cotabato City[18] were likewise placed under ECQ by April 2020. The whole of Bangsamoro transitioned to a general community quarantine on May 1 with request to extend ECQ imposition in Lanao del Sur and Marawi rejected by the national IATF-IED.[19]

Hospital equipment

There were only three ventilators in the whole Bangsamoro region as of April 2020, all of which are used by the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital. Through the United Nations Development Programme an additional of at least 15 ventilators are being installed in health facilities across the region.[20]

As of early June 2020, the region already has 19 mechanical ventilators.[21]

Testing and quarantine facilities

The Cotabato Regional Medical Center in Cotabato City has a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing facility which test suspected COVID-19 cases in the Bangsamoro and Soccsksargen regions.[21] The Bangsamoro regional government has provided aid to the hospital to fund the upgrade of its laboratory and training of its staff.[22] The hospital received accreditation to conduct test in May 2020.[23]

The Bangsamoro region's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Works has constructed a 100-bed capacity COVID-19 isolation facility near the Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.[24] Another facility is being set up in Datu Blah Sinsuat Hospital[21]

The capacity of the region's isolation facilities across all of its five provinces is 4,360 beds.[21]

Parliament sessions

When the Bangsamoro Parliament resumed its session on June 16, 2020, some of its members participated via video conferencing and those who were physically present wore masks and observed social distancing by seating two seats apart from each other.[25]

Religious sector

Muslim worship in the region has been affected by the pandemic. The Regional Darul Ifta' of Bangsamoro has suspended all congregational prayers in the Bangsamoro region from March 19 to April 10, 2020.[26] The Islamic advisory body has also issued a fatwa further suspending congregational prayers in mosques during the whole Ramadan period and has advised Muslims to hold Taraweeh prayers in their residences.[27] The Darul Ifta' released another advisory clarifying that congregational prayers are still suspended even as the whole Bangsamoro region was placed under general community quarantine starting May 1.[28] The suspension on congregational prayers were provisionally lifted from June 1 to 15, provided that mosques will be used 50 percent of its capacity at most per prayer session.[29]

Notes and References

  1. News: Timonera . Bobby . Mindanao's first COVID-19 case went home to Lanao Sur before admission in Iligan hospital and later CDO . March 23, 2020 . MindaNews . March 12, 2020 . April 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200407032219/https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2020/03/mindanaos-first-covid-19-case-went-home-to-lanao-sur-before-admission-in-iligan-hospital-and-later-cdo/ . live .
  2. News: Butardo . Maria Cecilia . COVID-19 positive patient dies in Lanao del Sur . March 31, 2020 . ABS-CBN News . March 17, 2020 . en . April 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200407234330/https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/17/20/covid-19-positive-patient-dies-in-lanao-del-sur . live .
  3. News: Arguillas . Carolyn . At least 43 COVID-19 cases in Mindanao traced to Davao's 6-cock derby . April 22, 2020 . MindaNews . April 22, 2020 . April 23, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200423204423/https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2020/04/at-least-43-covid-19-cases-in-mindanao-traced-to-davaos-6-cock-derby/ . live .
  4. News: Maguindanao confirms first COVID-19 case . April 7, 2020 . ABS-CBN News . April 7, 2020.
  5. News: Biong . Ian . Bangsamoro MOH clarifies leaked advisory: No local transmission in Lanao del Sur, Marawi . April 22, 2020 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . April 2, 2020 . April 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200404080601/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1252961/fwd-bangsamoro-moh-clarifies-leaked-advisory-no-local-transmission-in-lanao-del-sur-and-marawi . live .
  6. News: Saiden . Albashir . No new Covid-19 cases in BARMM for more than a week . April 22, 2020 . Philippine News Agency . April 15, 2020 . July 28, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200728231359/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1099948 . live .
  7. News: Calayag . Keith . BARMM tallies 9 COVID-19 cases . April 22, 2020 . The Daily Tribune . April 19, 2020 . May 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200506073229/https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/04/19/barmm-tallies-9-covid-19-cases/ . dead .
  8. News: Sulu reports first COVID-19 case. CNN Philippines. May 1, 2020. May 3, 2020. May 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200501215830/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/regional/2020/5/1/sulu-first-covid-19-case.html. dead.
  9. News: Basilan province confirms first COVID-19 case . June 5, 2020 . CNN Philippines . May 27, 2020 . June 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200606064200/https://cnnphilippines.com/regional/2020/5/27/basilan-first-covid-19-case.html . dead .
  10. Web site: Tawi-tawi records 1st COVID-19 case. July 5, 2020. July 6, 2020. July 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200706020431/https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2020/07/tawi-tawi-records-1st-covid-19-case/. live.
  11. News: Arguillas . Carolyn . Lanao del Sur, Marawi: the only areas in the country under MECQ . October 14, 2020 . MindaNews . September 29, 2020.
  12. News: Arguillas . Carolyn . Mid-term review recommends extension of Bangsamoro transition until June 2025 . October 14, 2020 . MindaNews . October 12, 2020 . October 13, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201013014713/https://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2020/10/mid-term-review-recommends-extension-of-bangsamoro-transition-until-june-2025/ . live .
  13. News: Maulana . Nas . Class participation in BARMM drops . October 14, 2020 . Manila Standard . October 5, 2020 . en . July 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240726195010/https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/335982 . live .
  14. News: Valente . Catherine . IATF names heads of Covid-19 regional task groups . April 22, 2020 . Manila Times . April 14, 2020 . July 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240726195013/https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/04/14/latest-stories/breakingnews/iatf-names-heads-of-covid-19-regional-task-groups/713967 . live .
  15. News: BARMM discloses breakdown of P1.9-billion released funds for Covid-19 crisis . May 8, 2020 . BARMM Bureau of Public Information . May 8, 2020 . July 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240726195011/https://bangsamoro.gov.ph/news/latest-news/barmm-discloses-breakdown-of-p1-9-billion-released-funds-for-covid-19-crisis/ . live .
  16. News: Ermac . Bonita . Lanao del Sur, Marawi City placed under enhanced community quarantine . May 8, 2020 . Manila Bulletin . March 20, 2020 .
  17. Web site: Situational Report No.8 of the National Task Force (NTF) for COVID-19 . National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council . April 8, 2020 . April 8, 2020 . November 26, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126092337/http://ndrrmc.gov.ph/attachments/article/4036/National_Task_Force_for_Coronavirus_Disease-2019_COVID-19_SitRep_No_08_as_of_8April2020.pdf . dead .
  18. News: Cotabato City LGU implements new enhanced quarantine, worker passes . May 8, 2020 . Philippine Information Agency . April 23, 2020 . May 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200517113651/https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1039855 . live .
  19. News: Fonbuena . Carmela . Gov't task force rejects ECQ requests of several provinces . May 7, 2020 . Rappler . May 3, 2020 . May 8, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200508101526/https://www.rappler.com/nation/259778-government-task-force-rejects-ecq-requests-several-provinces . live .
  20. News: Idrus . Pizaro Gozali . Rufinaldo . Rhany Chairunissa . Philippines: No new COVID-19 cases in Bangsamoro region . April 22, 2020 . Anadolu Agency . April 16, 2020 . July 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240726195019/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/philippines-no-new-covid-19-cases-in-bangsamoro-region/1807194 . live .
  21. Web site: National IATF cites BARMM's quick response vs. Covid-19. Philippine News Agency. June 5, 2020. June 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605112414/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1104993. live.
  22. News: Maulana . Nash . Murad signs P14M fund transfer in aid of CRMC upgrade . April 22, 2020 . Manila Standard . April 15, 2020 . August 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200806072533/https://www.manilastandard.net/lgu/mindanao/321582/barmm-test-kits.html . live .
  23. News: CRMC gets accreditation as first Covid-19 testing lab in BARMM . June 5, 2020 . Philippine News Agency . May 21, 2020 . June 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200605145105/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1103491 . live .
  24. News: Barmm builds 100-bed capacity Covid-19 facility . April 22, 2020 . Sun Star Zamboanga . April 22, 2020 . May 2, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200502190527/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1853590 . dead .
  25. News: Bangsamoro gov't opens 2nd regular session under 'new normal' . June 18, 2020 . MindaNews . June 16, 2020 . June 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200618083125/https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2020/06/bangsamoro-govt-opens-2nd-regular-session-under-new-normal/ . live .
  26. News: BARMM suspends all congregational prayers due to Covid-19. Albashir. Saiden. Philippine News Agency. pna.gov.ph. March 20, 2020. March 30, 2020. April 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200403221126/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1097226. live.
  27. News: Sarmiento . Bong . Bangsamoro Region gears up for Ramadan . April 22, 2020 . MindaNews . April 21, 2020 . April 23, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200423051939/https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2020/04/bangsamoro-region-gears-up-for-ramadan/ . live .
  28. News: Fernandez . Edwin . Suspension of Ramadan mass assembly in BARMM stays amid GCQ . May 8, 2020 . Philippine News Agency . May 5, 2020.
  29. News: Valdez . Warren Elijah . Darul-Ifta' lifts ban on mass prayers at mosques . June 10, 2020 . Manila Bulletin . June 1, 2020 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "COVID-19 pandemic in Bangsamoro".

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