By Emme Rose Santiagudo
Western Visayas has not recorded new fatalities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the past three weeks, the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) reported on Monday.
The last fatality was on May 3, 2020, a 40-year-old male from Bacolod City (WV Patient No. 7) according to Dr. Renilyn Reyes head of Public Health Program Development of DOH-CHD 6.
Reyes said that the region has maintained the 10 COVID-related fatalities for the past three weeks.
“We recorded zero fatalities for the past 22 days. Ang last naton nga fatality was WV Patient No. 7 who expired last May 3,” she said in an online press briefing on Monday.
From May 18 to May 24, Reyes said that the region only recorded three cases involving a health worker from Capiz (WV Patient No. 105); a jail officer from Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 106); and a repatriated Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) from Guimaras (WV Patient No. 108).
Reyes also noted a low turnout in positive cases last week compared to the 11 new cases from May 11 to May 17.
“We received a total of 1,583 total specimens from May 18-24. Out of the total specimens, only three turned out to be new positive cases compared sa aton nga 11 new positive cases nga narecord sang nagligad pa gid nga duha ka semana,” she said.
The region also recorded 10 new recoveries last week.
According to Reyes, the last clustering of COVID-19 cases in the region was at Brgy. Sto Niño Sur in Iloilo City, between the last week of April and first week of May.
Reyes also reported that the case doubling time in the region is improving while the critical care utilization rate remains on the safe zone.
Doubling time, which is the duration in days for cases or deaths to double, measures the speed of transmission of COVID-19.
Lower numbers of case doubling time indicate faster outbreaks while higher numbers mean slower outbreaks.
From May 18 to May 24, the region’s case doubling time is from 8.79 to 9.64 days according to Reyes.
Meanwhile, the critical care utilization rate is at 18.42. The critical care utilization rate represents the health system capacity of an area by measuring the number of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, isolation rooms, isolation room beds, ward beds, and mechanical ventilators dedicated to severe COVID-19 patients.
LOW TURNOUT
Reyes said the low turnout of COVID-19 cases in the region last week is a good indicator but she emphasized the need to look into the comprehensiveness of surveillance protocols of local government units (LGUs) in the region.
“Happy na kita in the sense nga tatlo na lang ang cases na na-record sang last week but the health department is also looking in terms of comprehensiveness sang surveillance. Ang gusto naton ang tanan nga LGUs ensakto ang surveillance sa COVID -19 particularly on the protocol for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and influenza like illnesses (ILI),” she stressed.
She stressed that reporting of negative SARI and ILI specimens of LGUs can be a very good indicator that cases and transmission of COVID-19 in the region are declining.
“Kon may makita kita nga kalabanan sang disease reporting units and LGU nagasend sang specimen sang ILI and SARI and puro lang negative and dyutay lang ang positive, that would be a very good indicator nga naganubo na ang cases and transmission sang COVID-19 diri sa region,” Reyes explained.
She said they are hoping that the low turnout of cases and the improving case doubling time in the region will continue in the coming weeks.
“Maayo gid nga indication sang nagligad nga semana nga tani hopefully next week maimprove na ang case doubling time nga tani masobra kita sa 9 or 10 days and maless pa gid ang aton critical care utilization rate,” Reyes said.
In a health bulletin issued on Monday, the health department recorded one new additional case involving a repatriated OFW from Bacolod City.
The patient is a 41-year-old male (WV Patient No. 108) and is currently under facility quarantine.
As of Monday, the region posted 108 COVID-19 cases with 74 recoveries and 24 active cases.
