THE Department of Health (DOH) 7 cautioned that should the local government units (LGUs) in the region allow the conduct of dawn masses or Misa de Gallo in December, local authorities must implement effective monitoring systems to ensure mass attendees adhere to safety protocol.
“The Department of Health would like to stress the strict implementation of the minimum health standards, wearing of masks and face shields at all times, maintaining the physical distance of no less than one meter from each person and hand washing,” Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH 7 spokesperson, told SunStar Cebu.
She also said those individuals who are not feeling well should just stay home.
Monsignor Camilo Alia, team moderator of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Cebu, said as of Dec. 1, 2020, they had yet to receive communication from Archbishop Jose Palma on the list of parishes where the prelate will be officiating the Misa de Gallo.
“Normally, two weeks before the start of the Misa de Gallo, he would announce in public the list of the parishes, but as of now, we are also still waiting,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DOH 7 logged no additional Covid-related deaths for three straight days from Nov. 28 until Nov. 30.
As of Monday night, the region’s tally of Covid-19 deaths is at 1,388 or about 5.75 percent of the region’s 24,150 total Covid-19 cases.
Loreche said this implies that the region’s referral systems are working and the strategies of hospitals both private and government, in terms of surge capacity and bed availability, are effective.
“Likewise, awareness of our people in terms of seeking medical consultations is a factor that has helped prevent unnecessary deaths,” she said.
The DOH 7’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in its report published on Nov. 24, covering the data as of Nov. 21, said 33 percent (of the 1,377 deaths recorded as of that time) of those Covid-19 patients who died had cardiovascular disease; 21 percent were chronic kidney disease patients; 18 percent had diabetes; four percent had hypertension; three percent had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; three percent had cancer; three percent had tuberculosis and one percent had liver disease.
As of Nov. 30, Central Visayas has 1,167 remaining active cases and 21,595 total recoveries, 14 of whom are additional recoveries. (WBS)