Bacolod City – The Department of Health in Western Visayas has elevated the Covid-19 risk classification of highly-urbanized Bacolod City, from moderate to high risk, citing an increase in growth cases and daily attack rate.
Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, DOH-WV Center for Health and Development medical officer 4, reported during the weekly “Isyung Bakuna” online with the Philippine Information Agency 6, that the Covid-19 daily attack rate in Bacolod City rose from 9.85 per 100,000 population, for the period May 3 to 16, to 10.98 for May 17 to 30.
Natalaray also reported that growth in Covid-19 cases rose from 6.04 percent to 11 percent for the same period.
Bacolod City logged 9,459 confirmed cases, as of May 30, of which 8,950 were local infections. Total recoveries stood at 7,985, with 1,218 active cases and 254 deaths, the DOH 6 said.
Negros Occidental remained at low-risk classification, the DOH added, although it has the highest number of confirmed cases in Western Visayas at 14,715 cases, with 12,501 recoveries, 1,926 active infections, and 280 deaths.
The DOH said Negros Occidental has a negative 29 in growth cases in the past two weeks, with its average daily attack rate also down, from 4.06 percent to 2.88 percent, per 100,000 population.
The Negros Oriental Medical Society, meanwhile, urged the provincial government of Negros Oriental and the city government of Dumaguete to declare an Enhanced Community Quarantine for two to three weeks, stressing that the surge of Covid-19 cases is alarming.
NOMS president Joven Occena, in his letter of urgent plea, said the Average Daily Attack Rate index of Dumaguete City, that is being used as basis in classifying the risk of contracting the virus, was at 8.12, and rising.
Occena also reported that the healthcare system of Dumaguete City, both in terms of hospital facilities and manpower resources, are now stretched to the maximum. “Our healthcare system needs to recover to provide optimum care to those who are infected. The plea to execute an ECQ remains in effect until the occupancy of hospital beds for Covid patients falls below 85 percent,” he added.
(Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)