Cebu City positivity rate hits lowest since January

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City recorded the lowest positivity rate since the fourth surge at 6.55 percent yesterday and is getting nearer to the World Health Organization’s five percent threshold.

Out of the 901 test results on February 15, only 59 turned out positive, bringing the latest positivity rate as the lowest since the end of the first week of January.

The city’s Emergency Operations Center’s deputy chief implementer and City Councilor Joel Garganera noted that the positivity rate when city first breached the WHO threshold last January 5 was at 6.46 percent.

Garganera is seeing a good sign out of this that the city is nearing the safer zone.

“This means that we are now approaching the 5% WHO threshold for the first time since Jan. 5,” said Garganera.

The EOC is also expecting a further decrease of Covid-19 cases in the coming days.

“We expect a further decrease of cases in the following days to come and we look forward to sustaining our low numbers and ramping up our vaccination program in the city. Karon makasulti ko nga duol na gyud ta sa tinood,” said Garganera.

Currently, Cebu City has a total of 1,745 active cases. They are coming from 72 barangays.

Just like the other day, there were also more recoveries notes than fresh cases at 177 against 59.

Unfortunately, though, there are three more deaths noted yesterday, making it 35 deaths due to COVID-19 for the first half of February.

Last month, there were a total of 83 deaths noted in the Omicron-driven surge.

With this, the city government continues calling on Cebuanos to get the COVID-19 vaccines now and boosters for those that are already eligible to get it for an extra layer of protection against the severity of the disease, if not, death.

Booster shots can already be taken three months after its second dose for a two-dose primary series and at least two months after for a single-shot vaccine. — KQD (FREEMAN)