ILOILO – Citing the steady drop in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases here, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. sees a mellower quarantine level next month.
Three things, he said: the average daily attack rate of 3.3 percent (per 100,000 population), the two-week growth rate of negative 54 percent and the health care utilization rate of 49 percent.
“Kon based lang dira, it is low MGCQ (modified general community quarantine),” Defensor said.
Currently, the province is under GCQ until Oct. 31.
Hospitals in Iloilo City are clearing up also, according to Defensor.
However, he said, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases still has the authority to determine the quarantine levels.
Defensor checked the COVID situation in the 43 local government units (LGUs) through a virtual meeting with mayors last week. He urged them to continue enforcing the minimum health standards, especially in the upcoming Fiesta Minatay.
As of Oct. 23, this province had 2,001 active COVID cases out of the total 34,183 recorded since last year.
Here are the age groups affected by COVID:
* 21 to 30 years old – 7,470 cases
* 31 to 40 years old – 6,303 cases
* 61 years old and above – 5,620 cases
* 41 to 50 years old – 4,610 cases
* 51 to 60 years old – 4,362 cases
* 11 to 20 years old – 3,560 cases
* one to 10 years old – 2,064 cases
* less than one year – 117 cases
The province has been logging an average of 75 cases daily (as of Oct. 23) – significantly lower than that in September (262), August (233), July (144), June (165), May. (59), April (22), March (30), February (29), and January (21).
Ten LGUs recorded high coronavirus cases: Lambunao (140), Pavia (101), Oton (100), Dumangas (89), Santa Barbara (82), Calinog (78), Lemery (75), San Dionisio (71), and Pototan (68), and San Rafael (65)./PN
