After several months since the last recorded Covid-19 related death, four more fatalities were recorded in the Cordillera due to the virus infection the past two weeks.
The new deaths, two in Baguio and one each in Benguet and Abra, bring the total number of deaths in the region to six, as of Aug. 6.
The first two deaths in the region were recorded in Baguio on March 19 and June 17.
Details about the recent Covid-19-related deaths remain not available as of press time.
The DOH also continues to record a steady rise in cases.
As of Aug. 6, there are 342 confirmed cases in the Cordillera with 129 active cases and 208 recoveries. Of the active cases, 60 are in Baguio; 24 are in Benguet; 18 are in Abra; 17 in Kalinga; six in Ifugao; three in Apayao; and one in Mountain Province.
DOH-Cordillera also reported 15 new recoveries bringing the total of recoveries to 208 out of the 344 total cases since March.
DOH-CAR Infectious Diseases Cluster Head Jennifer Joyce Pira said the health care system in the Cordillera is still capable of handling the surge of cases. However, she reminded the public to continue observing minimum health protocols and stay at home as much as possible.
She added the DOH-CAR will not deploy health workers in Covid-19 hotspots to ensure there will be enough personnel to conduct contact tracing and to attend to patients as cases continue to rise in the region.
In Baguio, Mayor Benjamin Magalong is counting on residents to remain calm and cooperative.
“Our people do not have to be afraid. They just have to be careful. They have to make sure that they are aware of what is going on and that is the reason why we are very transparent by informing them everyday about the new cases so they would know and be aware of what they have to do,” the mayor said.
The mayor has assured the city government knows what is happening on the ground and is acting on it as the situation warrants.
He said the increased number of cases which ballooned by 91 from July 24 to Aug. 7 was a result of expanded testing and contact tracing and the number is expected to continue to swell as Covid-19 response operations continue.
The mayor added the Covid-19 infection is not likely to go away in the near future and so people have to learn to live with it. “We have to learn to co-exist with it,” the mayor said.
Magalong also requested the Police Regional Office-Cordillera and the DOH to back the city’s contact tracing team. The mayor said there is a need for additional contact tracing units to backstop current hands who have been working 24/7 since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic.
Baguio currently has 22 contact tracing units composed of over 600 personnel from the Baguio City Police Office and the CHSO. – Rimaliza A. Opi ña with reports from PIO
April 25, 2024
