COVID-19 cases ease in three WV provinces despite High-Risk status

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Region 6 remains under High Risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of Sunday, September 12, even as the number of new cases continued to ease in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, and Capiz, according to the Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV CHD) on Monday.

DOH-WV CHD data as of Sept. 12 indicated that the region has logged 114,429 COVID-19 cases (14,587 active, 97,134 recoveries, and 2,683 deaths).

The region also saw its highest average of new COVID cases since the pandemic began in 2020, with 830 cases per day as of Sept. 12, higher than the averages in August (577), July (616), and June (629).

As to the risk rating, the city and province of Iloilo, Guimaras, and Bacolod City are at High Risk, while Negros Occidental escalated to Moderate Risk. Aklan, Antique, and Capiz are at Low Risk.

These are based on their respective 2-Week Growth Rate (2WGR), or the percentage of how fast COVID cases have been growing, and Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR), or the number of new cases per 100,000 people in a city or province.

Both 2WGR and ADAR are measured in 14-day periods, and the most recent numbers are based on new COVID cases reported from August 26 to Sept. 8.

The region has a Moderate 2WGR, with the number of new cases increasing by 18%.

Negros Occidental has the highest 2WGR (94 percent), followed by Iloilo City and Guimaras (40 percent each), Bacolod City (33 percent), Iloilo province (19 percent), Capiz (-12 percent), Antique (-25 percent), and Aklan (-48 percent).

The region also posted a High ADAR, with 9.86 new cases per 100,000 people in the last two weeks.

Iloilo City had the highest ADAR (28.99), followed by Guimaras (16.82), Iloilo province (15.74), Bacolod City (11), Antique (6.20), Aklan (5.72), Capiz (5.63), and Negros Occidental (3.96).

The region also has Moderate Health Care Utilization Rate (HCUR) at 66.04 percent, referring to COVID-dedicated beds and mechanical ventilators used.

Aklan has the lowest HCUR as of Sept. 12 (14.22 percent), one of the lowest since the start of the pandemic.

Guimaras still has the highest HCUR in the region (79.69 percent), followed by Iloilo City (78.17 percent), Bacolod City (74.65 percent), Iloilo province (71.34 percent), Negros Occidental (67.32 percent), Capiz (67.30 percent), and Antique (39.34 percent).

There has been no change in cases of variants of concern (VOC) or variants of interest (VOI), which remained at 429 as of Sept. 12.