QUEZON CITY, Dec 1 (PIA) --The government has sent a 25-person medical team to Davao City to help President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's home city address the rising coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, said National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr.

Reporting to President Duterte during a Cabinet meeting about government's response on COVID-19, Galvez said the reinforcement team comprising six doctors, six nurses, and 13 nursing staff will assist the already "overwhelmed" staff of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) battling a surge in COVID-19 infections.

Davao City has seen a 68-percent increase in infection rate in recent days and the task force promised Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to help the city arrest the spiking number of coronavirus cases, Galvez said.

Galvez also reported that the task force had previously sent medical equipment and medicine to SPMC to manage severe COVID-19 cases.

"Sa ngayon po, medyo nag-i-stabilize ang Davao. At nagpadala na rin po tayo ng mga tinatawag po natin na high-flow nasal cannula at nagpadala rin po tayo ng mga Avigan --- na mga compassionate drug para po makatulong po sa mga severe cases po natin," he told the President, adding the task force visited Davao City twice last week to assess the situation.

The reinforcement team, which assisted Cebu City curb the surge in coronavirus cases, was also deployed to Davao City to improve its COVID-19 referral and emergency operation systems, said Galvez.

"So iyon po ang ginawa po natin... Nagpunta po kami ng ano noong last week at saka noong last Monday and Tuesday po doon. At 'yung buong team po ng Cebu, dinala po natin po doon sa Davao para tumulong din po," he said.

Inter-Agency Task Force Chief Implementer for Visayas, retired Major General Melquiades Feliciano and his team, as well as Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega are also in Davao City, according to Galvez.

Undersecretary Vega set up One Hospital Command and reorganized Davao City's referral system for its civilian hospitals and SPMC. Health authorities also increased the bed capacity of civilian hospitals by 20 percent, he added.

SPMC has recorded 29 new coronavirus infections on Monday, October 30, bringing the total number of cases in Davao City to 4,518.

The city has 298 active cases, 3,942 recoveries, and 270 deaths. PND