“IF WE based on the gatekeeping parameters of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), it is most likely that we will be escalated to a higher community quarantine status next month, but we are prepared for it.”
This was stressed by Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, after a sudden spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was recorded in the city this month.
“There’s no announcement yet, but we are ready to be escalated to a higher community quarantine status because of our numbers (Covid-19 cases),” Ang said.
She said Bacolod City recorded the highest cases of Covid-19 in April compared to March.
Ang, also an executive director of Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said Bacolod City has been implementing higher community quarantine status guidelines like the capacity of the business establishments, which was already reduced by way of an executive order by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, disallowing mass gatherings, among others.
As of April 27, Bacolod City had a total of 7,247 Covid-19 cases. Of the number, 6,177 patients recovered, 864 were active cases and 206 were deaths.
Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical data and analysis of EOC, also said the city’s prevention against Covid-19 is in place, where the monitoring teams, task force disiplina and the police were also deployed in various areas to ensure the strict implementation of health protocols.
He said Bacolod now has an inter-local transmission since some of the Covid patients were living outside Bacolod but are working here.
The Department of Health-Western Visayas earlier announced that Bacolod was classified as high-risk due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
“They are basing it on the numbers, on the statistics and it’s now for the people to take care because it’s already the DOH announced that we are at high-risk,” Sorongon said.
EOC records showed that from April 1 to 23, Bacolod City had a total of 21 deaths.
Sorongon said of 21 fatalities, one of them was a doctor and the rest were patients aged 50 years old and above with comorbidities.
“It’s highly transmissible and highly contagious. So we are always reminding our people to always observe the social distancing, always wear face masks and face shields. We are also appealing to tell the truth, if they are not feeling well they should see a doctor or visit the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient (BRO) Center in Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports Center," he said.