New COVID-19 cases in Cebu down to single-digit

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City logged seven new COVID-19 cases yesterday, the lowest since May.

“We’re single-digit today... The last time we had a single-digit was last May 31,” Emergency Operations Center (EOC) deputy chief implementer and Councilor Joel Garganera said.

He said the number of active infections in the city is down to 344.

While Garganera admitted that only a few persons were tested over the weekend, he said the drop in cases means those infected have few close contacts.

The Department of Health- Central Visayas office initially reported nine new cases in Cebu City, but the EOC said it validated only seven.

The positivity rate in the city remains low at 3.83 percent, which is within the World Health Organization standard of five percent.

The EOC said 28 of the 80 barangays in Cebu City reported zero case.

Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue cities also logged single-digit cases on Monday at three and four, respectively.

Cebu province recorded 11 new cases, bringing the active infections to 1,032.

Negros Oriental has 2,935 active cases after 151 were found infected on Monday.

Siquijor recorded 1,552 active cases while Bohol logged 928.

In Negros Occidental, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) dropped to 6.356 percent per 100,000 people as of Sunday compared to 9.46 percent last week.

Bacolod City recorded a 19.8 percent ADAR and health care utilization rate of 75.8 percent.

Negros Occidental was placed under Alert Level 2 for COVID-19 infections. Bacolod remains at Alert Level 4.

60% of inmates vaccinated

Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of inmates have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said yesterday.

BJMP spokesman Chief Inspector Xavier Solda said 74,730 of 123,848 inmates in 472 jails across the country have received their COVID jabs.

Solda said 38,811 are fully vaccinated while 35,919 have received their first dose.

At least 4,595 inmates have contracted the virus since last year.

Of those infected, 4,404 or 95.84 percent have recovered while 119 or 2.58 percent have died.

The BJMP said there are 72 active cases among inmates.

Solda said BJMP detention facilities have Ligtas COVID Centers where infected inmates are brought for treatment. – /The Freeman, Gilbert Bayoran, Emmanuel Tupas