NegOcc classified as COVID high risk area in W. Visayas

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – The Department of Health Region-6 has categorized Negros Occidental as a “high risk” area for having the most number of COVID-19 cases at 9,954, as reported by the Provincial Incident Management Team.

As of April 19, 2021, Negros Occidental reported 2,277 active cases while Bacolod City has 665 active cases.

Bacolod, a highly urbanized city, is “moderate” in the risk classification of the DOH 6.

Dr. Mary Jane Roches Juanico of the DOH-Western Visayas Center for Health Development Infectious Disease Cluster said in an online forum that the Covid-19 daily attack rate in Negros Occidental rose from 1.45 to 5.96 per 100,000 population in the past two weeks.

The growth rate of COVID cases in Negros Occidental also surged, from 89.64 percent to 261 percent in the past 14 days, Juanico said.

The daily attack rate of COVID in Bacolod slightly increased from 2.01 to 2.18 per 100,000 population, and the growth rate decreased from 199.04 percent to 99 percent.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force denied the request of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the 31 mayors of Negros Occidental to place the province under the General Community Quarantine.

The IATF said the COVID-19 infection rate has not reached the required level for such classification.

Lacson said the infection rate should be 200 percent to qualify for the GCQ.

When the request was made early this month, the infection rate in the province was at 107 percent.

Lacson said that he did not know if the national IATF will change its mind on the classification of Negros Occidental as a high-risk area.

He said he expects an influx of inbound travelers to Negros Occidental, because the one-week travel moratorium to Western Visayas ended on Monday.

The governor has asked returning residents to agree to the swab testing upon entry to the province.

“If they will not, we will ask them for negative RT-PCR test results taken 72 hours before their arrival,” he added.

Based on the PIMT record, eight local government units in Negros Occidental have three-digit COVID-19 cases: San Carlos City – 295, Himamaylan City – 192, Kabankalan City – 149, Cauayan – 134, Murcia – 130, Bago City – 113 Binalbagan – 120, and Cadiz City – 117.

Only the town of Don Salvador Benedicto remains COVID-free with no active cases.

But Mayor Marxlen de la Cruz said he is not taking any chances as he ordered a limit to gatherings at 30 percent capacity, a ban on picnics and swimming activities in rivers, and the strict imposition of the curfew hours, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.