‘COVID surge in Bacolod alarming’

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – An official of the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center said the continuous upsurge in coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases here has reached an alarming level.

EOC deputy for medical, Dr. Chris Sorongon, however, denied reports of hospital transmission.

“No cases of hospital transmission,” Sorongon told Daily Guardian here.

He said that the city’s utilization rate of healthcare facilities is at 45 percent.

Sorongon said that the EOC are putting in place measures to slow down the infections.

For one, the EOC is Intensifying the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) strategies and strict enforcement of minimum health protocols.

Sorongon urged the public to avoid mass gatherings or major spreader events and to stay home.

Persons exhibiting symptoms may seek early consultation with the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center from 8am to 4 pm, Monday to Sunday.

Bacolod City reported 25 new cases based on information from the Department of Health as of April 18, 2021. All 25 new cases were local transmissions.

The city now has 6,756 cases including 668 active cases.

 

RETURNEES ASKED TO BE SWABBED

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson requested all returning Negrenses to have themselves swabbed upon entry to the province in anticipation of the lifting of the travel moratorium for inbound travelers to Western Visayas.

The extended travel moratorium to Region 6, including Negros Occidental, ended Monday, April 19, 2021.

Lacson said he has not received any word from his fellow Western Visayas officials requesting for another extension of the travel moratorium from the National Capital Region and its neighboring provinces, and from Cebu and Davao.

Lacson said the swab tests at the entry points of Negros Occidental remain voluntary.

He also directed all towns and cities in Negros Occidental not to approve the S-PaSS if travelers refuse to be swabbed or fail to present a negative RT-PCR test before travel.

The S-PaSS, or Safe, Swift and Smart Passage, is a one-stop online communication and coordination platform for travelers and local government units.

On his part, Vice-Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said that Negrenses, whose travel to the province had not pushed through because of the moratorium, will be allowed to return home starting April 20, provided they complete the travel requirements.

Ferrer said they will be requested to undergo swab testing, free of charge, upon arrival, and to be placed in a holding area, pending the release of the test result.

Those with negative results will be allowed to go immediately, while those who test positive for Covid-19 will be brought to quarantine centers, Ferrer said.

As of April 17, Negros Occidental had 2,099 active cases, and has already surpassed its peak of 1,683 Covid cases last year.

Negros Occidental has the highest number of active cases in the region.