3 provinces log ‘serious’ spike in COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — Isabela, Negros Occidental and Cotabato have recorded a “serious” increase in daily average COVID-19 cases in the past week, according to a member of the OCTA Research Group.

OCTA fellow Guido David said Isabela logged an average of 357 new cases per day from Sept. 11 to 17, an increase of 37 percent from the preceding week.

Negros Occidental had an average of 345 new cases in the past week (up 75 percent) while South Cotabato recorded 335 (up 32 percent).

The other provinces which recorded positive growth rates during the same period were Rizal with 863 (up nine percent), Batangas with 734 (up six percent), Iloilo with 576 (up 24 percent), Pampanga with 535 (up 19 percent) and Pangasinan with 507 (up four percent).

Benguet, Nueva Ecija and Quezon reported an increase in cases at 23 percent, 22 percent and nine percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, David said the average new daily cases in eight provinces decreased in the past seven days.

He said the 1,518 cases recorded in Cavite was down four percent; Laguna with 1,041 (down five percent), Bulacan with 796 (down 10 percent) and Davao del Sur (down 12 percent).

Average daily new COVID cases also dropped in Cagayan with 422 (down 20 percent), Cebu with 351 (down 38 percent), Bukidnon with 257 (down 20 percent) and Bataan with 242 (down 20 percent).

Meanwhile, in Ilocos Sur, residents have been asked to prepare for the possible imposition of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for two weeks.

Local officials in Sta. Catalina and San Juan towns said they are just waiting for the executive order from the provincial government.

San Juan Mayor Ma. Elaine Sarmiento said stringent measures are needed as requested by health workers during a recent meeting of the provincial task force on COVID-19 to stop the surge in infections.

The entire province of Ilocos Sur is under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.

Vigan City and the towns of Bantay, Cabugao, San Juan, Sinait and Sto. Domingo are under modified ECQ until today. – Artemio Dumlao