ILOILO – This province recorded 505 fatalities due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), data (as of Aug. 12) from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed.
The deaths were recorded in 42 towns and the component city of Passi.
Oton town had the most number of pandemic casualties at 37 while the municipalities of Tubungan and San Dionisio had the least at one death each.
Oton surpassed the town of Pavia that had been recording a high number of deaths these past few weeks. As of Aug. 12, Pavia logged 36.
Passi City had 23 deaths.
Here are the death toll in other towns: Santa Barbara (27), Barotac Nuevo (25), Miag-ao (21), Tigbauan (21), Pototan (21), Banate (20), Leganes (19), Estancia (17), Guimbal (16), Dumangas (16), San Miguel (15), Maasin (12), San Joaquin (12), Alimodian (12), Leon (11), Janiuay (10), Cabatuan (10), San Enrique (nine), Sara (eight), Lambunao (eight), Dingle (eight), Zarraga (eight), Ajuy (seven), Igbaras (seven), New Lucena (seven), Carles (seven), Badiangan (seven), Barotac Viejo (six), Batad (six), Concepcion (six), Balasan (five), Anilao (five), Calinog (five), Lemery (four), Mina (three), San Rafael (two), Dueñas (two), and Bingawan (two).
Records of the PHO also showed that 285 of the 505 deaths had underlying illnesses.
The most affected age group was 61 years old and above, followed by the 50 to 60 years old, and 41 to 50 years old.
As of Aug. 12, the province had 18,712 total confirmed coronavirus cases – 2,938 active, 15,269 recovered and 505 deaths.
Of the total confirmed cases, 17,402 or 93 percent were local cases; locally stranded individual – 856 or four percent; returning overseas Filipinos – 334 or two percent; and authorized persons outside residence – 120 or one percent.
The province is logging 135 average cases daily.
Areas with the highest confirmed cases were Oton (1,715), Passi City (1,291), Pavia (1,125), Santa Barbara (1,086), Miag-ao (736), Pototan (729), San Joaquin (640), Guimbal (615), Concepcion (593), and Leganes (519).
CLUSTERING IN 341 BRGYS
Meanwhile, 341 out of the 1,721 total barangays in this province had clustering of COVID cases as of Aug. 10.
There is clustering, according to Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, acting head of the PHO, when there are two or more cases recorded for two consecutive weeks within a single area.
PHO records also showed all towns, except Batad, had clustering of cases. These were: Ajuy (five barangays), Alimodian (16), Anilao (two), Badiangan (three), Balasan (three), Banate (three), Barotac Nuevo (four), Barotac Viejo (three), Bingawan (one), Cabatuan (11), Calinog (nine), Carles (one), Concepcion (five), Dingle (seven), Dueñas (10), Dumangas (nine), Estancia (two), Guimbal (15), Igbaras (six), Janiuay (six), Lambunao (12), Leganes (eight), Lemery (one), Leon (10), Maasin (nine), Miag-ao (eight), Mina (four), New Lucena (five), Oton (23), Passi City (17), Pavia (13), Pototan (14), San Dionisio (five), San Enrique (five), San Joaquin (12), San Miguel (16), San Rafael (three), Sta Barbara (24), Sara (six), Tigbauan (two), and Zarraga (five).
These were recorded between July 25 and Aug. 10, covering the morbidity week 30 to 32.
Quiñon urged local chief executives to monitor these barangays, and if necessary, impose localized lockdowns. Minimum public health standards should also be observed and mass gatherings prohibited.
“Watch out sa sini nga bagay. Wala ‘ni contest sa padamo-damo kaso. Ang gamay kaso or wala kaso, mas maayo. Keep your barangay COVID-free,” said Quiñon.
She also enjoined residents to avail themselves of anti-coronavirus shots when available./PN
