Public help in lowering active cases hailed

CEBU, Philippines — Public cooperation has been a key factor cited by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that helped prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and effectively reduced the number of active cases in Cebu City over the past few days.

EOC data shows that there are only 2,611 active cases left as of March 3, 2021. Although the data from Department of Health (DOH) is a bit higher at 3,214 because some of the recoveries reported by the city are still subject to validation by the health department.

Councilor Joel Garganera, EOC chief implementer, said the city’s positivity rate has dropped to 12.42 percent out of the 1,288 tested in Cebu City. The city’s positivity rate reached as high as 19 percent earlier.

According to EOC, 12 barangays reported no COVID-19 transmission in the last 10 days. 68 of the city’s 80 barangays remain to have active cases.

Garganera said the number continues to improve with only an average of over a hundred cases per day. At present, the city’s critical care occupancy rate is at 48.5% ---private and government hospitals combined.

He said public cooperation and the timely intervention of EOC helped managed the spike in new cases. EOC has been conducting testing, contact tracing, isolation and treatment as well as enforcement of health protocols.

Earlier, OCTA Research Group recommended the strict implementation of quarantine protocols to lower the virus’ reproduction number or the rate of infection. Garganera said the presence of the PNP, Task Force Kasaligan, barangay tanods and the PROBE has also contributed to the public’s compliance of the protocols.

“But then again, as long as COVID is still with us, anything can happen. So we really need everyone’s cooperation to sustain this until the roll out of our vaccination,” said Garganera. — FPL (FREEMAN)