Webinar #9 | COVID-19 Clinical Management: The Cebu Experience

The University of the Philippines in partnership with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center would like to invite you to join the Fight Against COVID-19! The UP Webinar Series "STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates"; is scheduled EVERY FRIDAY from 12nn to 2pm. Webinar #9: “COVID-19 Clinical Management: The Cebu Experience” Dr. Mitzi Marie Chua ICC Chair, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu City June 19, 2020 (Friday) 12nn What is the impact of the archipelagic nature of the Philippines on the COVID-19 pandemic? Have we been able to contain COVID-19 within islands? What are the challenges faced in islands? In this forthcoming webinar, we will take a closer look at clinical management of COVID-19 in Cebu. Among the Philippine cities, Cebu has already outpaced Quezon City with the highest number of cases in an urban LGU jurisdiction. On June 12, 2020, Cebu City.Health Department recorded 167 new cases of COVID19, bringing the total to 3,361. The island of Cebu has 4,228 cases representing 17% of the total recorded cases in the Philippines. On the positive side, Cebu reports 1,710 recoveries and 33 deaths. Officials in Cebu point out that the death rate remains low and that increased cases reported are related to a backlog in reporting on test results. How are the doctors of Cebu keeping the death rate low despite what might seem to be an increase in cases since the ease of the lockdown on May 20? Are the health systems of Cebu prepared to see more COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks? What are the measures being taken by hospitals to address moderate and severe cases of COVID-19. Research published on Thursday, June 11, by University of the Philippines mathematics professor Guido David, UP political science professor Ranjit Singh Rye, and Maria Patricia Agbulos – fellows of the OCTA research group of experts – cited Cebu as the “second major battleground” in the country’s fight against COVID-19. Let us hear from a colleague from Cebu who is at the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 and understand the contexts and challenges faced by the Queen City of the South.