A proposed coffee room at the west wing of the Ilocos Norte Capitol building was converted into a contact tracing operations center with at least five dedicated personnel to boost the Provincial Health Task Force’s contact tracing efforts.

Equipped with three computers and a projector, the center was officially inaugurated on Tuesday to process data of traced individuals.

The blessing was led by Rev. Father Ian Rabago with provincial officials led by Gov. Matthew Joseph Manotoc and other health personnel and contact tracers in attendance.

“The operation center will operate 24/7, and will collect and consolidate the contact tracing data gathered on the field,” Wildredo Lorenzo Jr., Information Technology officer of the provincial government said in an interview.

With the help of personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, and the assigned contact tracers from the 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte, including the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams, the operation center will assist them in processing data as well as provide real-time updates about the Covid-19 situation in the province.

In his speech, Manotoc urged residents to continue observing minimum health protocols and help government front-liners in the mitigation, control, and treatment of infected patients.

The province recorded its 129th Covid-19 case on Tuesday afternoon — a 64-year-old locally stranded individual from Barangay San Pedro, Batac City who came from Cavite.

Reports said she was immediately quarantined and was swabbed twice before she was admitted to the hospital for experiencing Covid-like symptoms.

To date, Ilocos Norte has four active cases with 124 total recoveries and one death.

“We know how crucial and urgent contact tracing is. Thank you to all our front-liners for your hard work and dedication,” Manotoc said. (PNA)