KALIBO, Aklan – The pandemic is not over yet, although the province of Aklan is shifting to the lowest alert level.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases downgraded the province to Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15, indicating a low level of coronavirus infections.
Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores reminded the public to remain vigilant even though the Covid-19 cases are declining amid the pandemic.
“Naabot na natin ang ‘new normal’ dahil sa pagtutulungan ng mga health care workers, mga LGUs at mga residente sa ating Covid response. Mag-ingat pa rin tayo kahit sa ‘new normal’,” he said.
Miraflores said people should still wear their face masks at all times in public areas and practice social distancing.
The downward trend is encouraging with 35 active cases as of February 23. Hospitalizations are also down with 12 people admitted with Covid-19 related symptoms.
Miraflores stressed this is not the time to lower their guard down too early as he urged the people to continue to be careful.
Aklan has reported a single case on February 23, bringing the total to 15,149 confirmed infections since the pandemic began.
The province has seen 358 deaths or a 1.59 percent case fatality rate, a low rate attributed to widespread contact tracing and testing.
Some 80 percent of the population have received at least one shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 74 percent already got their two doses.
Almost all pandemic restrictions for people, of all ages, will be lifted under Alert Level 1 in the hope to revive the local economy.
Alert Level 1 covers areas with low and decreasing Covid-19 cases and transmission, as well as low total hospital bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate./PN
