CASES of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Benguet continue to increase, particularly in the mining towns of Tuba and Itogon.
As of October 25, Benguet has already 435 active Covid-19 cases out of the 872 total confirmed cases, 426 total recoveries and 11 deaths recorded.
The province recorded its highest single-day cases at 93 on October 22.
Kabayan, meanwhile, recorded its first two Covid-19 cases over the weekend.
Itogon has the highest case with 152, followed by Tuba with 119 and La Trinidad having 106.
Buguias, meanwhile, has 20 registered cases, while Mankayan has 12, Sablan nine, Tublay eight, Kapangan three, Bokod two, while Atok and Bakun have one each.
During the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force meeting at Benguet Capitol, Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported that as of October 24, of the 800 active cases, most of the affected sector are frontliners (199), other workers (154), customer service (136), miners (55) and eight OFWs.
The highest increase of cases in two weeks' time was recorded in the town of Tuba with 425 percent increase. From its 28 recorded cases in October 11, it has 147 total cases reported on October 25.
Itogon, meanwhile, had 298 percent increase.
PHO said the surge in cases was due to the non-compliance to health and safety protocols especially in closed and crowded areas and public places.
Karen Lonogan of the DOH-Cordillera Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit reported that out of the 13 towns, Itogon and Tuba are currently at critical risk level, Mankayan is at high risk, while Atok, Bakun, Kapangan and Sablan are at low risk, and four other towns -- Tublay, Kibungan, Kabayan and Bokod -- are at minimal risk for the virus.
Lonogan said the new Epidemic Risk Level Matrix being used by the health department is a combination of prevalence and the Average Daily Attack Rate, which is the number of cases per 100,000 population and growth in cases based on the two recent consecutive weeks.