By Emme Rose Santiagudo
No new positive cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were recorded in Western Visayas in the past two days, based on the records of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD) 6.
The latest bulletin issued on April 14, 2020 indicated that all the three laboratory results released by Western Visayas Medical Center tested negative for COVID -19.
Hence, total cases in the region remains at 40 with seven deaths and seven recoveries.
Iloilo Provinces recorded the highest cases at 15 with four deaths; Bacolod City (7) with one death; Iloilo City (5) with one death; Aklan (6); Capiz (4) with one death; Antique (2); and Negros Occidental (1).
Guimaras is the only province that remains free from COVID-19.
The health department also recorded zero cases on April 13 after laboratory tests of 19 individuals yielded negative results, based on the bulletin issued by the DOH-CHD 6 on Monday.
This is already the fourth time that the region posted zero additional COVID-19 cases.
In a bulletin issued by DOH-CHD 6 on April 10, all 76 laboratory results released tested negative for COVID-19.
On April 8, all 87 specimens were also negative for the virus based on the bulletin issued by health department.
According to Dr. Ma. Sophia Pulmones, spokesperson of DOH-CHD 6, the transmission of COVID-19 in the region remains “low” yet sustained.
“Low pero sustained ang pagtuhaw sang kaso or occurrence of positive cases, manubo lang kay usually may ara lang kita isa ukon duha nga positive cases pero sige-sige. It is a low but sustained occurrence of cases,” Pulmones said in an online briefing on Monday.
Pulmones said there is still no scientific data indicating that the region has already reached the peak of COVID-19 infections.
“Sa subong indi pa naton madetermine kon san-o pa kita ka arrive sa flattening of the curve kay wala pa kita kabalo kon na reach na naton ang peak sang cases sa aton region,” she said.
So far, seven patients have recovered from COVID-19 in Western Visayas.
According to Dr. May Ann Soliva-Sta. Lucia of DOH-CHD 6, the seven recoveries are from Iloilo province (2); Bacolod City (2); Iloilo City (1); Negros Occidental (1), and Capiz (1).
Sta. Lucia said that while the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has indeed slowed down in the past week they have yet to verify the trend of Covid-19 cases in the region.
“Gamay gamay ang gasulod nga cases this week and there were times na zero kita. I have already tasked the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) to make a graph so that we will know the trend of COVID-19 cases in the region,” she said in an online press briefing on Sunday.
Out of the 40 total Covid-19 cases in the region, Sta. Lucia said 13 are admitted in hospitals while 14 are under home quarantine.
