Hospitalized residents with COVID-19 down to 13

CEBU, Philippines — COVID-19 situation in Cebu City has further improved with only 13 patients admitted in hospitals, according to the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

EOC deputy chief implementor and City Councilor Joel Garganera said 11 of them are in one of the 15 hospitals in the city.

The remaining two are confined at Cebu South Medical Center in Talisay City and at the Chong Hua Hospital in Mandaue City.

The critical care utilization rate (CCUR) for the 15 hospitals in Cebu City for COVID is at 23.62 percent with 150 of the 635 total bed allocations occupied.

But more importantly for the city’s EOC, only 11 of the 150 admitted in hospitals are city residents. The other patients are from other local government units.

“Only 13 Cebu City residents who have COVID-19 are admitted; two outside Cebu City hospital and 11 patients are admitted in hospitals within Cebu City,” said Garganera.

Currently, Cebu City only has 64 active cases including the seven fresh cases logged on November 24.

Moreover, the city’s positivity rate has been maintained way below the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold at 1.09 percent with only seven of the 644 tested turning out positive.

Active cases come from 25 different barangays.

The 55 other barangays no longer have had an infection for the past 14 days.

Four days left in November and the city only recorded eight deaths.

The EOC said the city’s aggressive approach to COVID-19 vaccination has contributed to the decrease in COVID-19 cases.

As cases go further low, the EOC has shifted gear in helping the vaccination program of the city, inoculating residents in the mountain barangays and other areas ahead of the scheduled three-day National Vaccination Day from November 29 to December 1. — KQD (FREEMAN)