Covid-19 Cases in Central Visayas Rise to 600

More than a month since coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing can already be done locally, cases of the disease in Central Visayas have surged to 600.

This as the Department of Health in Region 7 (DOH-7) on Tuesday night reported 75 new positive cases with two listed as repeat test of the previously confirmed cases.

The latest data on positive cases came after 451 specimens were tested at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center sub-national laboratory (VSMMC-SNL).

In a statement, Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-7 regional director, said Cebu City remains on top of the list local government units (LGU) with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.

“There are 72 additional cases from Cebu City bringing the total cases in the city to 547,” Bernadas said.

He said Lapu-Lapu City comes second with 32 cases, followed by Mandaue City with 11.

Since April 1, the Cebu province comprised of towns and component cities recorded only three cases. On Monday, however, one more patient from Bantayan town was added to the list from the provincial data of Covid-19 positive.

Accordingly, the patient listed as the fourth confirmed case in Cebu province is now confined at the VSMMC.

On Monday, Cebu province has recorded one death, a 17-year-old resident of Carcar City.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia ordered contact tracing and containment of persons who had direct contact with the patient. She said health workers had taken swab samples from 14 persons.

“There are still no new cases recorded in Bohol and Negros Oriental. Siquijor remains to have no documented case of Covid-19,” Bernadas said, with Negros Oriental’s record sticking at four cases.

The additional laboratory negative case in the region is a 75-year-old male “who is already discharged from the hospital and has now completed his additional isolation,” he said, adding that his “recovery is welcome news to everyone in the region most especially to his family,” he stressed.

The additional confirmed cases have slightly decreased the case fatality rate or the percentage of deaths among those who are infected with Covid-19 at 1.8 percent which is lower compared to the global average of 6.4 percent.

Bernadas, however, explained that “the slow increase in the number of recoveries from the recorded confirmed cases can be attributed to the gradual nature of the body to develop antibodies to fight off the infection and recover.”

“On the other hand, the immediate nature of death makes it faster to record as compared to the slow and gradual battle against infection. The majority of the diagnosed Covid-19 cases in the region are not even admitted in the hospitals and do not need any medical intervention as they are presently asymptomatic,” he bared. (PNA)