TACLOBAN CITY –Eastern Visayas is now experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 infection.
Thus said Dr. Minerva Molon, regional director of the Department of Health (DOH), who based her disclosure on the ballooning of coronavirus disease cases of the region for the past weeks now.
“Base sa datos ng ating mga kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19, masasabi natin na sa sitwasyong ito ay nasa second wave na po tayo. Ibig sabihin, narating na natin ang peak ng first wave during May 31 – June 20, muling bumaba naman sa mga sumunod na morbidity week, at muli namang tumaas during July 12-18,” Molon said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday(August 19).
“Sa first wave ng ating COVID-19, naitala natin na more than 70% ay mga locally stranded individuals (LSIs) at ngayon sa second wave infection, there is evidence of a more infectious strain and it is noted that majority of infections for the past three weeks are LSIs at local cases kung saan may mga panibagong healthcare workers tayo na na-infect,” she added.
As of August 18, there were 53 healthcare workers infected by the COVID-19 of which 28 of them are confined in the hospital.
Eastern Visayas has now a total of 1, 819 confirmed cases since March when the first patient was reported in the region. Of these 633 are active cases.
Of the six provinces, Leyte recorded the highest cases at 766 followed by Samar with 495; Southern Leyte, 191; Biliran,63; Northern Samar,54; and Eastern Samar with 37.
In the advisory of DOH-8 released August 19, 58 new cases were added to the increasing list of COVID-19 infected individuals.
Majority of the new cases are frontliners and close contacts of earlier confirmed COVID-19 infected individuals while others are LSIs and health care workers.
The DOH regional office also announced areas where there are clustering cases of COVID-19 infection.
These areas are the villages of Holy Child 1 in Alangalang; Barayong in Palo; Cabuynan in Tanauan; and Linao in Ormoc City, all in Leyte province.
In Samar, these are in Villa Aurora in Basey; Igot in Villareal, and villages of Mercedes, Canlapwas, Poblacion 9 and Poblacion 13, all in Catbalogan City.
These areas has two or more cases from different households and in workplace.
Based on the data of the DOH, Villa Aurora has the most number of COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks with 27, followed by Mercedes with 14 cases.
Catbalogan City Mayor Dexter Uy, responding to the announcement of the DOH, issued an executive order for the implementation of zoning containment in the city.
Three villages (Mercedes, Canlapwas, and Poblacion 13) were placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine; 19 barangays were placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine; four villages under General Community Quarantine and another four areas under Modified General Community Quarantine.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
