4 Central Luzon areas now under alert level 4

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, August 13, 2021, reported that the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales, including the cities of Angeles and Olongapo, are now under alert level 4 after seeing an increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases and deaths.

In a press conference Friday, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Central Luzon as a whole, along with Central Visayas, Covid-19 deaths have continued to increase.

“Nationally, deaths are now showing signs of plateauing, which indicates possible increase in the following weeks. In Central Luzon and Central Visayas, deaths continue to increase,” Vergeire said.

Vergiere added that the national two-week growth rate was 60 percent and the attack rate was 8.37 percent per 100,000 population in the recent two weeks from July 30 to August 12.

Central Luzon and Central Visayas are among nine regions classified as high risk due to the rising two-week growth rate and average daily attack rate. The other regions are National Capital Region (NCR), Northern Mindanao, Calabarzon, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Western Visayas.

Of these nine regions, six already have high-risk intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rates as of August 10, including Central Luzon (78.65 percent) and Central Visayas (75.94 percent). The four others are Northern Mindanao (72.5 percent), Calabarzon (74.18 percent), Cagayan Valley (76.19 percent) and Western Visayas (74.32 percent). Overall, the Philippines was declared high risk earlier in the week.

In areas under alert level 4, Vergeire said LGUs should enforce granular lockdowns, continue active case finding, may use rapid antigen test in areas with Delta cases, increase hospital beds, ensure enough oxygen supplies, immediately refer severe and critical cases and ensure accessibility of PhilHealth benefits.

Vergeire said the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, and Bulacan are under Alert Level 3, in which LGUs should implement granular lockdowns, continue active case finding with the possible use of rapid antigen test in areas with Delta cases, and target to decongest hospitals and start increasing the number of hospital beds.

Pampanga prepared

Governor Dennis Pineda earlier assured Kapampangans that there is sufficient supply of oxygen tanks in public hospitals in the province.

Pineda said the Provincial Government was able to purchase in advance oxygen in tanks to ensure the steady supply amid the foreseen surge of Covid-19 cases due to entry of the Delta variant in the country.

Pineda also disclosed that Capitol is equipping isolation facilities with oxygen tanks and Covid-19 medicines such as antibiotics in case admitted patients would need them. (JTD/SunStar Pampanga with Marites Villamor-Ilano and HDT/SunStar Philippines)

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