By Francis Allan L. Angelo
Cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to increase in the last eight days, based on data from the Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas
On Sunday, June 6, the DOH reported 764 new cases with Iloilo province topping the tally with 210 local cases and a locally-stranded individual (LSI).
Negros Occidental reported 136 new cases and 1 LSI, followed by Bacolod (128), Iloilo City (115 and 1 LSI), Aklan (70), Capiz (66), Antique (33), and Guimaras (3).
The increase in cases in the region has been consistent since last month, DOH data indicated:
May 30 – 454
May 31 – 523
June 1 – 431
June 2 – 602
June 3 – 654
June 4 – 646
June 5 – 735
The average daily increase in cases between May 30 and June 6 is 601 cases.
The case tally in Region 6 is now at 50,948 comprised mostly of 46,041 local cases.
The June 6 data also showed that the region has 8,941 active cases, 40,786 recoveries and 1,205 deaths.
Earlier, the DOH said the rapid increase in new cases and high utilization rate of health facilities in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo and the provinces of Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo escalated the region’s risk rating.
The city and province of Iloilo have imposed strict quarantine measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
Iloilo City is under the strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) since May until June 15, 2021. The local government reimposed the home quarantine pass system to limit the movement of residents to one household member who will go on essential errands.
Only authorized persons outside of residents (APORs) and workers in essential sectors can move around provided they have travel passes from their employers and offices.
Iloilo province enforced border checkpoints also to limit the movement of residents. Travel passes were also required from APORs and workers in Iloilo City.
HIGH RISK
In Guimaras, DOH data indicated that its health care utilization rate was classified as “high risk” as of June 3, 2021.
The DOH report indicated that 70.97 percent of COVID-19 wards and isolation beds of the province are utilized.
Health care utilization rate refers to the number of intensive care units, isolation beds, and ventilators currently in use in an area’s health and medical facilities.
The island-province also recorded a steady increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases with a 3.48 percent average daily attack rate per 100,000 population.
The province is classified by the DOH under “moderate risk” in terms of average daily attack rate.
The Municipality of Sibunag, however, was among the “high risk” municipalities in Western Visayas.
Sibunag has recorded a 500 percent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases with 11 active cases as of June 5, 2021.
The town logged a 3.61 percent average daily attack rate among its population.
Guimaras, however, remains to be the least affected having the lowest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among the provinces in Region 6.
With 605 confirmed cases where 101 are active cases as of June 5, 2021, Guimaras has doubled its efforts to arrest the spread of the virus.
Effective June 7, 2021, local border restrictions will be imposed in the province to restrict the movement of persons where only essential travels are allowed.
Only essential establishments will be allowed to operate in a shortened business hours. (With a report from Guimaras PIO)
