ILOILO City – Daily new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas are increasing.
From daily single digit cases April and May, the region saw it grow to double digits in June.
This month of July for the past four days (July 5, 6, 7, and 8), daily COVID-19 cases have risen to three digits, data from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 showed.
Western Visayas recorded 100 cases and four deaths on July 5; 125 cases on July 6; 132 cases on July 7; and 141 cases and 17 deaths on July 8.
These cases brought the total active cases in the region to 1, 477 and total deaths to 6,023.
According to DOH, 42.79 percent of the active cases are asymptomatic, 49.15 percent are mild, 4.20 percent are moderate, 3.73 percent are severe, and 0.14 percent are critical.
Just recently, DOH announced that Western Visayas registered 99 additional cases Omicron subvariant BA.5 cases, bringing the region’s total cases of subvariants to 145.
The other sub-variant cases are BA.2.12.1
Preliminary studies have shown that the BA.5 variant is more transmissible than the B.1.1.529 Omicron variant.
Meanwhile, despite the increasing COVID-19 cases in the region, its healthcare utilization rate remains at low risk.
Unoccupied are 82 percent of 169 ICU beds; 66 percent of the 1,764 isolation beds; 71 percent of the 554 ward beds; and 92 percent of the 152 mechanical ventilators.
DOH reiterates the importance of vaccination as the best defense against severe COVID-19 infection and complications.
The department continues to encourage the eligible population to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and adhere to the minimum public health standards such as wearing of best-fitted facemask, to isolate when signs and symptoms manifest, and to ensure that there is proper airflow or ventilation./PN
