DESPITE the recent spike of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Baguio City, the Department of Health (DOH)-Cordillera considers the region at moderate risk compared to other regions in the country.
In its October 8 Covid-19 Health update, Dr. Ruby Constantino, DOH-Cordillera director, said the region's Covid-19 cases have reached 2,032 from the 1,215 cases in September 2.
Constantino said that in the Cordillera, the DOH recorded a 67.2 percent increase in coronavirus infections, with 21 deaths or one percent fatality rate.
He added that there were 1,303 or 64.1 percent recoveries in the region.
Case doubling time is at 17.51 days, while the critical utilization rate was at 47.62 percent, with more males affected at 1,089 or 53.6 percent.
"Out of the total number of cases, 699 are admitted and are in stable condition, seven are severe and two critical cases are under close monitoring and observation. Since September 24, 2020, 817 cases have been added coming from all the provinces and Baguio City," Constantino said.
Baguio recorded the highest number of cases with 1,246, followed by Benguet with 470, while Kalinga has 270. Abra, as of Thursday, October 8, has 83 confirmed cases, while Ifugao logged 58 Covid-19 cases. Apayao recorded 35 and Mountain Province has 23 cases.
Constantino said out of the 76 municipalities in the region, 62 or 81.6 percent recorded confirmed cases, with clustering noted among uniformed personnel, hospital and isolation units, households, supermarkets, cargo companies and banks in the different areas of the region.
Aside from Baguio City and Benguet, DOH is also constantly monitoring Kalinga after recording a 3.9 percent positivity rate.
"Despite the fact that Baguio City has increasing cases, comparing its positivity rate with the percentage of individuals tested, Baguio has a lower positivity rate. Kalinga has a low number of individuals tested but has a higher positivity rate meaning, Baguio City conducted more tests because effective contact tracing having a positivity rate at around two percent compared to Kalinga having a 3.9 percent positivity rate," Constantino added.
Based on DOH-Cordillera's latest data, only 2.1 percent of Kalinga's population were tested for Covid-19.
Out of its 4,796 individuals tested, 170 tested positive, having a 3.54 positivity rate.
Baguio City has tested 12.3 percent of its population but has a 2.69 percent positivity rate.