Bacolod at high risk for COVID-19 – DOH

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — This city has been classified as high-risk for COVID-19 even as Negros Occidental is now considered low-risk for the virus, according to the Department of Health Center for Health and Development (DOH-CHD) office in Western Visayas.

The average daily attack rate in this city from April 13 to 26 was 7.12 percent per 100,000 population, the DOH-CHD said in its report.

Records show that the daily attack rate in Negros Occidental during the same period was only 3.43 percent.

Last week, Negros Occidental was classified as a high-risk area while this city is at moderate risk for infection.  Both remain under modified general community quarantine.

The Provincial Incident Management Team reported that active cases in Negros Occidental dropped from 2,233 on April 20 to 1,863 as of Wednesday.

The number of COVID-19 cases in this city increased by 15 percent compared to the negative 33 percent in Negros Occidental during the same period.

The DOH-CHD said it recorded an average of 262 cases per day in the entire region. Out of 34,094 cases as of April 25, 88 percent or 28,323 are local transmissions.

Churches closed

Meanwhile, in Misamis Oriental, Catholic churches in Laguindingan, Alubijid, Tagoloan and Jasaan were closed starting Wednesday until May 10 for disinfection after several priests contracted the virus.

Churches in Barangays Carmen and Gusa as well as the Nazareno church in Cagayan de Oro were also closed.

Monsignor Rey Monsanto said the infected priests were confined in various hospitals along with some church workers.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Mindanao totaled more than 15,000 as of Tuesday.

169 more cops infected

As this developed, Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said 169 more of their personnel have tested positive for COVID-19.

Eleazar said 128 of the new patients are from various regional offices, 29 of them from Metro Manila, and 41 from administrative and support units of the PNP.

There were 1,776 active cases in the police force as of yesterday. Fifty-nine are confined in hospitals and 1,717 in quarantine facilities.

The PNP has documented 20,009 cases among its personnel since last year. Fifty-five died while 18,178 or 90.84 percent have recovered.

Eleazar said 11,967 PNP members have been vaccinated against COVID-19. – Emmanuel Tupas, Gerry Lee Gorit