DUMAGUETE CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- A top official of the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force-Emerging Infectious Disease (PIATF-EID) reported a huge drop in COVID-19 cases in Negros Oriental since the start of the imposition of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in the province.

Assistant Provincial Health Officer and PIATF-EID Incident Ground Commander Dr. Liland Estacion said that from over 2,300 active cases of COVID-19 infection which was recorded before the MECQ period, the figure has dropped to 1,552 cases as of July 6.

The National IATF recommended that Negros Oriental be placed under MECQ to curb the rising number of COVID-19 infections in the province.

It started on June 17 and is expected to end on July 15.

Estacion said the declaration of MECQ resulted to a drop of nearly 800 in active COVID-19 cases.

However, the current data is still high compared to the figures recorded during the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and the early days of Modified GCQ in the province.

She added that the “no dine-in” policy in restaurants implemented in Dumaguete City proved be effective in reducing the transmission of the virus.

“Even though there is almost 800 (cases) drop in the province, this (current figure) is still high for us. Wala man ta kaabot man ni on ‘normal times.’ Our figures were double digits but now upat na siya. I hope the trend of our cases na going down will continue and until ma-sustain na nato ang atong gamay na kaso (Even though there is drop of nearly 800 cases in the province, this data is still high for us. We didn’t reach these numbers during the ‘normal times.’ Our figures before were only double digits, but now it’s already four digits. I hope the trend of our cases will continue to go down until we will reach the level where we can sustain low cases),” Estacion said.

Meanwhile, Estacion reported 302 additional cases of COVID-19 infection in the province during her virtual presscon. 

The total was accumulated over a six-day period covering June 30 to July 5 based on the swab results from various COVID-19 testing centers in Cebu, Valladolid, Negros Occidental, and the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital Molecular Laboratory. 

The new cases are logged in Basay (5), Bayawan City (19), Sta. Catalina (10), Siaton (10), Zamboanguita (5), Dauin (5), Bacong (37), Valencia (7), Dumaguete City (43), Sibulan (64), Amlan (4), Tanjay City (25), Pamplona (2), Bais City (24), Mabinay (22), Manjuyod (2), Bindoy (1), Ayungon (2), Tayasan (3), La Libertad (1), Guihulngan City (3), Vallehermoso (2), and Canlaon City (6).

Aside from this, she also announced 13 additional COVID-19-related deaths.

One was recorded in Ayungon, three in Bais City, two in Dumaguete City, three in Pamplona, one in Sibulan, two in Tanjay City, and one in Zamboanguita.

Most of them had other illnesses which contributed to their deaths.

The province also recorded 491 additional recoveries.

Negros Oriental currently has a total of 9,319 cases of COVID-19 infection with 1,552 active cases, 7,615 recoveries, and 152 deaths. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)