The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday identified several areas in the Visayas region as “emerging hotspots” of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“Ang mga lugar kung saan tayo nakakakita ng emerging hotspots o lugar kung saan dumadami ang kaso ay ang Cebu City, Cebu province, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Leyte, at Samar,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
The COVID-19 curve of the Visayas shows a huge spike of infections in Regions 7 and 8, Vergeire said.
“Nangangahulugan po ito na tumataas ang mga kaso sa kanilang lugar at kailangan po nating ituon ang ating atensyon sa lugar na ito upang mapigilan pa ang paglobo ng mga kaso at hindi natin ma-overwhelm ang health system sa mga nasabing lugar,” she added.
The national government has distributed supplies and equipment to Cebu province to help speed up the testing process.
The DOH’s online tracker as of June 23 shows that the top five areas across the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases overall are Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Cebu City, and Cebu province.
Cebu City posted 4,539 cases while Central Visayas recorded 6,270, next to Metro Manila with 16,009 infections.
Cebu City is the remaining area in the country under the enhanced community quarantine. The national government, on the other hand, is planning to improve the city’s restrictions on movement in the coming days.
Eastern Visayas lawmakers are also calling for a review of the Bong Go-backed Hatid Probinsya program after the region experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases from the returning locals.
Meanwhile, the national COVID-19 curve exhibits a “gradual” rise in COVID-19 cases.
“Bagaman tumataas ang mga kaso sa ating bansa, ang pagtaas naman nito ay gradual at hindi biglaan. Ang ibig sabihin po nito ay nakakayanan ng ating current health system ang pagtaas ng mga kasong ito,” she said.
“Atin pong ine-expect na tataas pa rin ang kaso habang unti-unti po nating binubuksan ang ating ekonomiya, bahagyang niluluwagan ang community restrictions, at patuloy na tumataas ang ating testing capacity,” she added. (RJ Espartinez)
At the start Leyte was free or negative of the covid19. Transmissions to the place begun from the moment the BPP, OFW & LSI who were positive of the virus were transported to the place so suddenly sans prior observance of proper protocol which prompted Mayor Gomez to post his lament in FB. Now the the virus is blodgeoning here, better apply remedial measures asap.