Central Visayas Covid-19 Cases Reach 2,019

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in Central Visayas has increased to 2,019, the Department of Health (DOH)-Region 7 said on Tuesday.

In an advisory, the DOH-7, however, noticed an increasing number of individuals who have recovered from the viral disease from 70 recorded last May 11 to 106 patients as of Tuesday.

DOH-7 regional director, Dr. Jaime Bernadas, said Cebu City still has the highest number of confirmed cases from among 16 cities in the region with a total of 1,763 cases, followed by Mandaue City with 112 cases, Lapu-Lapu City with 58 cases, and Cebu province with 56 cases.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center-Subnational Laboratory (VSMMC-SNL) has released 69 test results, eight of which are positive and 61 negative cases.

Bernadas said Bohol province has now four Covid-19 cases and Negros Oriental’s confirmed infections remain at four. Meanwhile, Siquijor remains Covid-free as no infection has been reported since the start of the health crisis.

The DOH-7 also recorded a zero increase of health workers infected with the coronavirus, but none has officially recovered yet from among those undergoing enforced 14-day quarantine.

Also, the overseas Filipino workers who were allowed to go to their respective home towns and cities in Central Visayas but tested positive of Covid-19 remain at 18 cases, all placed under two-week quarantine.

Although the DOH-7 recorded a rising number of recoveries in the region, it noted low death incidents due to Covid-19 with 29, with the last fatality on May 16. The overall case fatality rate in Central Visayas is at 1.44 percent.

According to the DOH-7 Covid-19 update, Negros Oriental has the highest fatality rate at 50 percent as two of the four patients infected with the coronavirus died.

It added that Cebu province has the second-highest fatality rate at 16.07 percent after nine of 56 patients infected with the coronavirus died while undergoing confinement.

The cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu have 2.68 percent and 1.72 percent fatality rates, respectively.

Although Cebu City is considered as the high-risk area in terms of the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases, its fatality rate is very low at 0.80 percent as 14 deaths were recorded against the 1,763 cases.

Bohol and Siquijor listed zero mortality while health workers and OFWs under quarantine are all accounted for.

Bernadas disclosed that aside from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center accredited by the DOH as Sub-National Laboratory to test swab samples from suspected coronavirus-infected individuals, the Cebu TB Reference Laboratory Molecular Facility for Covid-19 Testing (CTRL-MFCT) is now helping in the test.

The DOH also accredited Allegiant Regional Care Hospital (ARC), a privately-owned hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, to conduct coronavirus testing, he added.

Bernadas said as he asked for continued works and prayers “for our collective healing”.

“We look forward to a future where we can finally heal as one,” he said. (PNA)