THE Department of Health in Western Visayas has reported the first death due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Bacolod City.
DOH-Western Visayas, in its latest bulletin, said patient WV 23 is a 62-year-old female from Bacolod City with a close contact to patient WV 7.
She died on March 31, it said, adding that the patient was among the three new positive cases in the region as of April 1.
With six, Bacolod City now ranks second in terms of the highest number of positive Covid-19 cases in the region, next to Iloilo province with seven.
The entire Western Visayas now has 25 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Of which, five are in Aklan; Iloilo City and Capiz - three each; and Negros Occidental - one.
The provinces of Antique and Guimaras still have no confirmed cases.
Meanwhile, the regional line agency confirmed that there’s already local transmission in Bacolod City.
Local transmission as defined by the World Health Organization indicates that the source of infection is within the reporting location.
Aside from Bacolod, DOH-Region 6 said there’s also a local transmission in municipalities of Guimbal and Lambunao in Iloilo province.
“The increasing number of cases in the province, city or municipality of the region indicates that there’s already a local transmission in some areas,” it said.
The DOH said these areas with local transmission are advised to strengthen the implementation of community quarantine as per Department Memorandum 2020-0122 dated March 14.
“We are appealing to the public to work hand-in-hand with the Department of Health,” it said, adding that “in these trying times, we need to unite and harmonize our efforts to flatten the curve of Covid-19 cases.”