Bacolod breaks 3k mark as COVID cases spiral

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – A business executive here called on the City Health Office here and the Emergency Operations Center here to keep the public informed of the cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

The city recorded the highest single-day spike in cases at 182 on Sunday, enough to breach the 3,000-case mark.

Latest record from the Bacolod Public Information Office showed the city has 2,980 cases as of Friday.

In a statement Monday, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) executive officer Frank Carbon said “Let’s focus our war to the affected barangays, puroks, business establishments and non- government agencies and local government units.”

“Let’s keep the public informed, on a daily basis, of safe areas, high and ultra high risk areas in the City.”

Carbon also said that “Iloilo City, Talisay City and other cities are now reporting daily their COVID cases, breaking the report per barangay/zone, purok, and street.”

“In so doing, the community will protect itself, the self-preservation instinct of humans, and we could exact compliance from the public to health protocols,” he added.

Carbon added that “very importantly, economic activities could continue in safe areas, thus, preventing massive loss of jobs and livelihood that could result to hunger, malnutrition, and its knock-on effects on peace and order.”

“Malnutrition could destroy the immune system of the person thus making him vulnerable to COVID attack.”

Carbon also cited that COVID-19 cases continue to spike since the city was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) starting Sept 8, 2020.

Records from the Bacolod City Health Office showed the following trend in COVID-19 cases: Sept 8-132, Sept 9-109, Sept 10-106, Sept 11-86, Sept 12-129, Sept 13-89, Sept 14-60, Sept 15-90, Sept 16-50, Sept 17-162, Sept 18-44, Sept 19-95 and Sept 20-186.