Davao City – Davao City has recorded the highest COVID-19 positivity rate of 48.34 percent amid a surge of cases.
Davao City COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, during the Bida Bakunado program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday afternoon, January 21, said: “Nikabat na gyud ta og 1,000 sobra two days in a row. By far, the highest ang 48.34 percent na positivity rate nato (We have exceeded 1,000 in the past two days. It is by far our highest positivity rate at 48.34 percent).”
On January 20, the Department of Health (DOH) Davao COVID-19 regional daily case bulletin showed that Davao City recorded 1,020 active cases, following the 1,197 logged on January 19.
The city’s total active cases as of January 20 is 4,578. Since March 2020, the city’s cases reached 59,000 with a total of 52,613 recoveries, and 1,809 total deaths.
In the same DOH Davao bulletin, 19 of Davao City’s 119 ward beds, as well as two of six ICU beds and 32 of the 124 isolation beds are currently in use. Two of the city’s mechanical ventilators are also being used.
However, the Southern Philippines Medical Center’s (SPMC’s) 279 ward beds are all currently utilized while 55 of its 87 ICU beds are also being used. Sixty-seven of SPMC’s 72 isolation beds are also used up while 25 of its 55 mechanical ventilators are being utilized.
“Sa 1,197 na active cases, 15 percent are vaccinated although naay uban for verification. Data shows ma-infect gihapon ang tao even if bakunado ka. Importante if bakunado ka, follow gihapon sa minimum public health standards. Magpa-booster ka aron naay additional 25-fold protection, protect yourself against the severity of the disease (Of the 1,197 cases on January 19, 15 percent are vaccinated although others are still subject to verification. Data shows you can still be infected even if you’re vaccinated. It’s important to still follow the minimum public health standards. Get boosters to have additional 25-fold protection, protect yourself against the severity of the disease),” the city health official said.
Dr. Schlosser also said that they are waiting for the data management team and the prediction of the epidemiologist to determine what to expect from the current surge.
She added, “Kung unsa kadugay ang surge, kung mubaba na so that the public will know but these are only predictions (How long this surge will last, if the cases will decrease, so that the public will know but these are only predictions).”
She underscored that even if most active cases are asymptomatic and mild, the chain of infection will continue if Dabawenyos remain undisciplined.
“Kahit naay security cluster, wala man ta nagtan-aw 24 hours. Tagsa-tagsa sa atoa naa ta’y kanya-kanyang contribution, responsibility to battle this disease. Upon observation, di na kaayo mag-wear og face mask, kung naa man baba lang tabunan wala na ang ilong. Ang uban wala nay social distancing. Maski wala’y nagtan-aw sa imoha, impose minimum public health standards (Even if there is a security cluster, monitoring is not 24 hours. Each one of us must contribute, we have the responsibility to battle this disease. Upon observation, some don’t wear face masks, or when they do, only the mouth is covered and the nose is exposed. Others no longer follow social distancing. Even if nobody is watching over you, impose minimum public health standards),” Dr. Schlosser said.
She also urged fully vaccinated Dabawenyos to avail of booster shots as soon as possible.
Of the 1,215,990 fully vaccinated individuals in Davao City, only 136,526 have availed of boosters so far.
“This is not a good number for booster, paspasan na nato kay nagpabilin man open ang vaccination hubs nato (let’s hasten it since our vaccination hubs remain open),” she added.
Davao City is currently at 98 percent or 1,276,123 for first doses of the anti-COVID-19 vaccines and about 93 to 94 percent for the second jabs.
(Source: Davao City Information Office)