ILOILO City – Cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas appear to be slowing, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
However, this should not be a reason to deviate from the minimum health protocols, said Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, spokesperson of DOH Region 6.
The region has been classified as “low risk” for COVID-19.
“There’s no time to be complacent,” said Natalaray.
“Any time pwede ‘ni sia magsaka liwat. Nakita man naton sa epidemiology curve. There are times naganubo sia but there are times nagataas,” she added.
Based on the data from DOH-6 Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, as of Oct. 17, the region’s two-week growth rate (TWGR) was negative 38 percent (low risk), while its average daily attack rate was 5.99 percent (moderate).
The region’s health care utilization rate (HCUR) was 52.30 percent (low risk).
Natalaray attributed the downward trend in COVID cases to these factors:
* continuous compliance to the minimum public health standards
* Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration (PDITR) strategies for COVID-19 of the local government units
* vaccination coverage
“Vaccinated individuals are less likely to have severe and moderate symptoms,” said Natalaray. “This also means less hospitalization.”
As of Oct. 17, around 1.4 million individuals in the region were fully vaccinated – 25.59 percent of the 5.579 million target (master-listed) eligible population under Priority Group A1.
Meantime, over 1.8 million Western Visayans received their first dose.
Except for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City with high risk HCUR at 71.63 percent and 75.81 percent, respectively, the rest of the region is deemed low risk.
Natalaray noted that only Bacolod City and Iloilo province are classified as moderate risk in terms of risk classification.
Bacolod has 19.86 ADAR and negative 12 TWGR, while Iloilo City has 11.48 ADAR and negative 46 TWGR.
As of Oct. 17, active coronavirus cases in Western Visayas reached 13,144; recoveries – 20,730; and deaths – 3,272./PN
