The Provincial government has urged local government units in Negros Oriental to reactivate their isolation facilities for COVID-19 cases, after noting that the number of active COVID cases doubled in the first week of the year.
Negros Oriental Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion, in a virtual presser Friday, said that a total of 33 new COVID cases were recorded in Negros Oriental from January 4 to January 7. She expressed concern after noting that from the three cases recorded on January 4, there were nine cases reported for January 5 and again on January 6, while the new COVID cases for January 7 was 12.
As of January 7, the total active cases in Negros Oriental was 48, up from only 24 cases barely four days earlier.
There were also three deaths from COVID last week from Dauin, San Jose and Dumaguete City, all of whom were unvaccinated individuals.
Estacion also said that some local government units have also been alerted over the entry of antigen-reactive individuals from Manila and Cebu who arrived by boat, plane and by land trip through the Tampi port. “We are having the LGU fetch them by ambulance and we are isolating the entire families so the cases will not spread,” she said.
Estacion also said that they are studying how to implement the resolution of Metro Manila mayors restricting the movement of unvaccinated individuals, in the event that cases in Negros Oriental will continue to rise.
She said the Department of Health is recommending that this be done by LGUs. Under these strict measures, unvaccinated individuals can only leave their homes to buy water, medicine and food. Eating out is prohibited and exercise can be done only in their immediate vicinity. Unvaccinated individuals will also be prohibited from riding public transport for land, sea or air.
Employees who refuse to get vaccinated should get an RT PCR test at private testing centers every two weeks at their expense and present receipts, she added.
Estacion, however, said that there has yet been no confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Negros Oriental “but let’s consider our cases as Omicron and take precautions”. Cases of the Omicron variant have been attributed for the fast spread of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila that has placed the National Capital Region under Alert Level 3. Negros Oriental currently remains under Alert Level 2.
She also encouraged the public to submit themselves for vaccination. “Vaccines are free. Why not submit for vaccination?”, she asked.
“I am appealing to the people that we should not be complacent that our active positive cases now have dropped to only 24. We have seen that NCR cases spiked and we have daily flights from Manila now,” Estacion said in mixed English and Cebuano.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH-7 chief pathologist, for her part, urged the people to be more cautious and practice the mandated health protocols.
In a press conference in Cebu City last week, Loreche said the best defenses against Omicron are the same as what the people have been doing against the original Covid-19, that is maintaining safe physical distance from other people, properly wearing a face mask, and sanitizing or washing hands regularly.
“Despite the calamity, the local government units reopened vaccination sites. Get your vaccine jabs now. And with Omicron, get your booster shots,” she said.
