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WV’s COVID-19 cases increase significantly

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ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- Almost all provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Western Visayas logged a significant increase in COVID-19 cases.

During the recent Regional Joint Response and Vaccine Operation Cluster meeting, the Department of Health (DOH) 6 reported a 469% growth rate on COVID-19 cases in the region for the recent one to two weeks as of January 11, 2022. The regional Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR) also increased to 1.42, bringing the region’s risk classification to high.

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Department of Health (DOH) Western Visayas director presides over the 17th Joint Response and Vaccine Operation Cluster meeting for Region VI. (FRG)
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Following the case increase, health care facilities in the region also noted a rise in hospitalization. As of the same date, the utilization rate of hospital beds and mechanical ventilators rose to 30.13%.

Matching both parameters, Dr. Jane Juanico of the DOH 6 stated that the whole region is now placed under Alert Level 3. She pointed out that seven out of eight provinces and HUCs in the region are also placed under Alert Level 3.

“We have classified all of our areas to Alert Level 3, except the Iloilo Province which is still at Alert Level 2,” said Dr. Juanico.

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With this, DOH 6 escalated the LGUs’ and health facilities’ action plan to the response stage as the surge of cases in the region is foreseen to be further affected by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

“We have seen how fast it can transmit,” said Dr. Adriano P. Suba-an, DOH 6 regional director, noting that the looming variant is 10 times more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus or 4.2 times more transmissible than the Delta variant.

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The DOH 6 emphasized that the Omicron surge may have more active cases and lesser hospitalization rates compared to the Delta surge.

Thus, it requested health facilities for a timely update on hospital indicators and to suspend elective services during the surge response. Furthermore, local health units were enjoined to follow the prioritization criteria for facility isolation and testing, particularly on instances of supply scarcity.

Meanwhile, Dr. Suba-an requested the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for LGUs to activate contact tracers as they are needed to maximize the detection of cases.

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Situational Report of the Department of Health (DOH) Western Visayas showing the risk classification and alert level status of areas in Region VI which are mostly high and at Alert Level 3. (FRG)
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On the other hand, DOH 6 reiterates the call for the public to continuously adhere to the minimum public health standards and to get vaccinated as an additional layer of protection against COVID-19 and any of its variants. (AAL/FRG/PIA6)

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Franz Remar Garion

Region 6

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