Active COVID-19 cases in WV breach 3,000 mark

By John Noel E. Herrera

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas have surpassed the 3,000 mark.

DOH-6 reported 13,173 new cases on Aug 13, 2022, bringing the active cases in the region to 3,061.

Iloilo province posted the highest number of active cases with 1,144 followed by Iloilo City with 532.

Data also indicated that Aklan logged 429 cases; Negros Occidental, 286; Antique, 254; Capiz, 213; Bacolod City, 168, and Guimaras, 35.

DOH-6 said that 42.21 percent of the active cases are asymptomatic while 51.45 percent of the cases showed mild symptoms; 3.82 percent moderate; 2.48 percent severe, and 0.03 percent critical.

The DOH-6 earlier cited that one of the reasons for the surge in cases not just in Western Visayas but in the whole country is because of the Omicron virus.

As of Aug 8, 2022, the region recorded a total of 959 Omicron and its sub-variant cases.

Data also indicated that Iloilo province recorded the highest number of cases with 346, followed by Iloilo City, 245; Bacolod City, 123; Negros Occidental, 69; Guimaras, 67; Capiz, 57; Antique, 40, and Aklan, 12.

DOH-6 also said that despite the resurgence of cases, the health care utilization rate of the region is still at low risk.

Of the 170 total Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 cases, 78 percent are still available, while out of the 158 ventilators, 91 percent are available, and of the 1,852 beds, 55 percent are still available.

The DOH has reiterated the importance of vaccination as the best defense to prevent being severely infected by COVID-19.

The health department also continued to encourage the eligible individuals to get vaccinated and boosted against the virus and follow the minimum public health standards like wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing, isolating when signs and symptoms manifest, and ensuring that there is proper airflow or ventilation.

Meanwhile, OCTA Research also reported that the new COVID-19 infections in the province of Iloilo and Iloilo City are declining based on reproduction numbers and case growth rates.

In a tweet, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said that Iloilo City’s reproduction number, or the number of people infected by one case, went down from 1.05 in July 2022 to 0.92 on August 07, 2022.

The city also recorded a –18 percent one-week growth rate of COVID-19 cases, while the province recorded a –11 percent.

A negative growth rate indicates that average new cases in the mentioned areas are going down.

As of Aug 09, 2022, health care utilization in Iloilo City was also at 46 percent and 50.7 percent in the entire Iloilo province.

Health care utilization is the quantification or description of the use of health care services by persons for the purpose of preventing and curing health problems, promoting maintenance of health or obtaining information about one’s health status and prognosis.