The provincial government of Leyte has activated its disease elimination reaction hub following the nationwide declaration of a state of public health emergency due to local transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said on Tuesday that provincial board members approved the request for the activation of the hub to help prevent the spread of the virus.

The hub is an office with equipment to combat dengue, malaria, and other diseases. It was established last year through an ordinance to monitor if the number of those infected with the said diseases reaches the threshold or epidemic level.

The governor is authorized to purchase medicines and equipment to combat the disease even with the absence of a national or local health emergency.

“With this hub, the government will know to whom and where these developed medicines or vaccines will be used and when to react,” Loreto told reporters.

The hub, he said, has a monitoring team tasked to check the possible carriers and another team that monitors those infected.

Members of the provincial board committee on health are expected to get involved, actively participate, and inform the provincial board if legislative action is needed from them.

The disease elimination hub is composed of experts in the field of medicine and health. The provincial health office runs the hub.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday declared a state of public health emergency in the country, following the confirmed cases of local transmission of the Covid-19. (PNA)