ILOILO City – While Western Visayas keeps on registering new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the gradual decline in numbers is giving health frontliners a ray of light to continue the fight.
Dr. Mary Jane Juanico, head of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6’s infectious disease cluster, revealed the number of new active COVID-19 cases being recorded for a day since December 2020 just plays around 50 – low compared to last year’s average of 150 to 200 cases a day.
“Naga-sustain kita subong on the average 50 cases per day since December (2020). Kalabanan ini makit-an naton naga-cluster lang sa one to five ka areas. Around August (2020), nagsaka ang aton cases to more or less 200 cases per day then nag amat-amat man panaog end of November up to now,” said Juanico.
She cited the four provinces/highly urbanized cities in the region with the highest cases – Iloilo province, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, and Bacolod City.
“Ang aton operations are mostly at the level na gid sang aton mga local government units (LGUs) and ang aton health care utilization is below the low risk as of today,” she added.
Juanico particularly cited the vigor of the various LGUs since the start of the lockdown.
“From the initial government-led activities, I think we were really able to empower our LGUs in managing the operations of COVID-19. Most of them have instituted sang ila man nga mga protocols on how really they can curtail the cases,” said Juanico.
There were still challenges, she added. Cases may spike or overseas Filipino workers might acquire other COVID-19 variants.
However, with the additional healthcare equipment, these and severe cases of COVID-19 could now be managed – one of the biggest improvements in terms of healthcare system noted by the DOH.
“I think the bayanihan spirit in Western Visayas is really evident because nga amat-amat nubo ang mga kaso kag nagtinguha man ang mga LGUs,” she added./PN
