Low positivity rate in surveillance testing

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Only 35 of the 2,383 Bacolod residents who underwent surveillance testing were positive for COVID-19.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the residents were from the three major public markets (Central, Burgos, and Libertad).

The data indicate that the surveillance test has a low 1.47% positivity rate.

Leonardia said the low figure means that major markets in the city are relatively safe and “may elicit an enhanced trust and confidence from their daily customers.”

“To further ensure the safety and well-being of all those who come and patronize our major markets, the City DRRMO also disinfects these markets regularly every weekend,” he added.

These measures are undertaken to ensure public health and safety, revitalize the business prospects of the market vendors and provide peace of mind and comfort for their customers.

Earlier, 956 city residents underwent COVID-19 surveillance testing in the past three days.

The number is on top of the 2,012 market vendors who were also tested on Oct 10 and 13.

Executive Assistant Ernie Pineda, head of Quick Response and Extraction Team, said 98 employees of the Bacolod City Slaughterhouse operated by AVM Bernardo Engineering in Barangay Handumanan underwent surveillance testing Monday.

Another 380 Bacolodnons were also tested at the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient (BRO) Center at the BAYS Center on Oct. 29.

The group includes market vendors and personnel of the three major public markets and the Sectoral Concerns Office, as well as contact tracers and barangay health workers.

On Oct. 30, 478 contact tracers and healthcare workers underwent the same test at the Bacolod City Government Center.

In sum, 2,968 Bacolodnons from various sectors underwent surveillance testing.

Of the first and second batches of 2,012 market vendors, 29 tested positive for the virus.