ILOILO – Citing the surge in infections from May 24 to 30, the OCTA Research Group tagged this province as among the “areas of concern” for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The group also listed Isabela, Cagayan, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Camarines Sur.
According to OCTA’s data, Isabela had the highest seven-day growth rate at 149 percent followed by Cagayan at 118 percent.
Within the same period, the country logged 6,259 new cases on the average – an increase of 22 percent from the previous week, according to OCTA.
New cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus were also on the decline, it added.
As for this province, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported that for the two-week period (May 14 to 27), the daily average of new COVID-19 cases was 82, with an average daily attack rate (ADAR) of 4.00, and a two-week growth rate of 41.29 percent.
PHO data suggested that from May 24 to 30, this province recorded 747 coronavirus cases out of the 1,669 infections recorded in entire May.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mary Jane Juanico, head of the infectious disease cluster of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, clarified that the DOH has their own basis for tagging an “area of concern”: two-week growth rate, daily average attack rate for the last 14 days and healthcare utilization rate.
“So, ang aton ya base sa DOH nga gin-present nga mga data and base sa number of cases nga nagasulod sa aton in the last 14 days, ang mga high risk areas naton are Bacolod City and Iloilo City while ang Iloilo province, Antique, Capiz and Guimaras are at moderate risk,” Juanico explained.
Juanico, however, admitted that Iloilo City’s COVID situation would still affect the province’s.
“Contributory ang mga kaso sang Iloilo City sa pagtaas man sang kaso sang Iloilo province given that most of the workers man sang province is also working in the city,” Juanico added.
The DOH has thus enjoined local chief executives and barangay officials to impose localized lockdown in areas with surges in COVID-19 cases.
“Kay ti indi man kita kahambal nga bilog nga region or bilog nga province ang i-lockdown but we do localized lockdown in the barangay level or municipal level kon naga-warrant sia or nakasulod sa criteria sa aton zoning containment,” Juanico said./PN
