SIQUIJOR, Siquijor, Sept. 28 (PIA) -- COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the province of Siquijor which already logged a total of 866 active cases, with 104 new cases, 459 recoveries, and 10 deaths as of Sept. 27 based on data from the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-7).
On Sept. 24, Siquijor province recorded a total of 203 new COVID-19 cases based on the DOH case bulletin, the highest since the start of the pandemic in 2020, said Zella Maye Samson of the Provincial DOH here.
Of the total, Siquijor has the highest number with 51 cases, followed by Larena (46), Maria (43), San Juan (26), Enrique Villanueva (23), and Lazi (14).
On Sept, 25, an additional 186 total confirmed cases were recorded with Siquijor logging the most number of cases (83), followed by Larena (47), Lazi (20), San Juan (16), Enrique Villanueva (15), and Maria (5).
From a COVID-free status for seven months last year, the first two cases of COVID-19 in the province were recorded in August 2020 involving local stranded individuals from Manila.
The surge started early this month with 33 new cases on Sept. 3; 87 cases on Sept. 15; 83 on Sept. 16; 96 on Sept. 18; 39 on Sept. 20; 40 on Sept. 23; the highest spike of 203 and 186 new cases on Sept. 24 and 25, respectively; 49 on Sept. 26; and 104 on Sept. 27.
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| PNP and other government agencies conducting stricter border control and checkpoint in one of the identified areas at Sabang, Siquijor as part of the strategic measures to manage the COVID-19 crisis currently faced by Siquijor. (RAC/PIA Siquior) |
The provincial government, in an executive order signed by Gov. Zaldy Villa on Sept. 19, has declared the whole province under alert level 4 system with heightened restrictions due to its increasing COVID-19 cases and health care utilization rates.
The said order mandated the imposition of granular lockdown in identified areas in six municipalities, as well as home quarantine, working passes, and vaccination cards to limit the movement of people and transportation that started on Sept. 23.
The local chief executives (LCEs) of the six municipalities with their respective municipal health officers (MHOs) also implemented stricter health and safety measures as they sought public support and understanding while intensifying the measures and approaches to manage the surge of COVID-19 and stop its transmission.
Barangay captains are also urged to cooperate and mobilize their respective Barangay Health and Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) to provide immediate and appropriate emergency assistance during the health crisis.
The LCEs and MHOS also urged residents to submit themselves to health personnel for immediate medication and proper health management when experiencing symptoms like coughs and colds.
Residents are urged not to wait until they experience difficulty in breathing before seeking medical treatment.
Following the implementation of the granular lockdown, Vice Gov. Mei Ling Quezon Brown, in a virtual public statement on Sept. 25, also called on the public to remain calm and cooperate with the province’s efforts to stop the transmission of COVID-19 infection.
Brown said the granular lockdown aims to stop the surge of COVID-19 cases and give time for the health system to cope.
She said that based on her analysis of the data from the DOH, only 5% or 19 individuals of the reported 355 total active cases as of Sept. 21 were vaccinated.
Brown urged the residents to get inoculated against COVID-19 and avoid the risk of going out unvaccinated amid the surge of cases in the province.
She admitted that medical facilities in the province are currently limited, with hospital bed capacity for COVID-19 cases only at 75 beds and are currently at full capacity.
In the last two weeks, around 20 individuals died of Covid-related diseases while the increasing demand for oxygen tanks ranged between 20 and 50 tanks per day.
Brown said the office of Cong. Jake Vincent Villa has released P440,000 for the purchase of 40 oxygen tanks as a buffer stock for the province.
Also in her virtual message, the vice governor asked the public to be more understanding amid the pandemic and not to blame those infected with the disease.
“Dili nato sila pakasad-on ug mahayon kay walay gusto makasulay ani. I-ampo nato nga paspas ang recovery sa tanan, nga wala nay matakdan ug maluwas ang tanang katawhan sa Siquijor (Let us not blame them because nobody wants to experience this. Let us pray for their speedy recovery, that nobody else will get infected, for all Siquijodnons to be safe),” she said. (RAC/PIA7 Siquijor)
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