BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
With continuous upsurge in COVID-19 active cases, the Department of Health Western Visayas has raised Negros Occidental to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 status, including Bacolod City.
The classification, according to DOH-Western Visayas Center for Health and Development, is based on the daily new cases per 100,000 of its population and health care capacity and utilization rate, regardless of the presence of the Delta variant.
In a virtual presser yesterday, Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, DOH-WV-CHD Medical 4, reported that Negros Occidental, which is now in high-risk status, has 72.64 percent health care utilization rate, compared to 76.92 percent of Bacolod City.
The Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR) in Negros Occidental increased by 100 percent in the past two weeks, which risen from 2.92 percent to 5.92 percent per 100,000 population, DOH records show.
Te also reported that ADAR in Bacolod City also rose by 80 percent, which was 9.50 to 17.18 percent for every 100,000 population.
As of September 19, the Provincial Incident Management Team logged 2,952 active cases in Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, from its lowest of more than 600 last month.
While it has yet to be confirmed by DOH, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson blamed it to local transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant.
Lacson said he anticipates that COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental may hit 3,000 today.
Of the 3,916 available COVID-19 wards and beds in Negros Occidental, DOH reports showed 1,682 already occupied, while 540 of the 1,026 beds in Bacolod City are also filled up.
Lacson said the will proceed in using three quarantine facilities in cities of Cadiz and Silay, as well as in EB Magalona, as field hospitals, in case COVID-19 designated hospitals reach their maximum capacity.
He called for understanding among residents of Himamaylan City in designating the Valeriano Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital as an additional COVID-19 medical facility.
In anticipation of shortage in medical oxygen, Lacson said they will use the savings of NOCHP (Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Care Program) to further increase the production capacity of the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital oxygen plant.
Aside from producing medical oxygen, he said the provincial government is also buying from its suppliers in Cebu.*
