AS CEBU continues to see single-digit new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC) said it may be possible to celebrate Sinulog, Cebu’s biggest and grandest festival, in January.
This is provided Cebu sustains its low Covid-19 case count under the relaxed Alert Level 2 and cases don’t rise by December, VVOC spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche said Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.
“Currently, one Cebu is enjoying single-digit numbers in new cases, which means our containment measures are effective, people are more aware of their participation in the adherence to minimum public health measures and the Covid-19 vaccination is very much a factor to consider,” she told SunStar Cebu.
In its case bulletin Sunday, the Department of Health Central Visayas reported just seven new cases for Cebu City; three each for Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City; and six for Cebu Province, which comprises 44 towns and three component cities.
This is a far cry from the situation last August when new daily cases breached 150 in Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City, 400 in Cebu City and 500 in Cebu Province.
Should Cebu continue on this downward trend, and with improvements in the number of vaccinated persons, Loreche said it is “highly possible to have a very merry Christmas and a Sinulog celebration.”
“For this to happen, it will take the cooperation of everyone, more so in our vaccination efforts. Supplies are adequate, and herd immunity is a goal that we can work on,” she said.
December and January are the holiday months when public mobility is expected to increase because of the Christmas season and the New Year.
According to the VVOC’s latest figures, Cebu has already administered 2,667,788 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Loreche said 1,426,171 were administered as first dose while 1,241,617 were administered as second dose.
In Cebu City, more than half of barangays have not reported Covid-19 transmission in the last 14 days.
Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said 42 barangays have not recorded any new cases of the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“For the very first time in our 80 barangays, many barangays now have not reported any transmission for the last 14 days. It’s now 42 barangays,” Garganera said.
EOC’s records show that in the latest daily count, there were only seven new cases in the city following the swabbing of 471 individuals, which means a daily positivity rate of just 1.49 percent.
The city currently has 203 active Covid-19 cases spread out over 38 barangays led by Barangay Talamban with 12 cases; Guadalupe, 10; Basak Pardo, 7; Santa Cruz, 7; Bacayan, 6; with the rest having anywhere from one to five active cases in the last 10 days.
The critical care utilization rate in the city’s 15 hospitals has dropped. Only 104 people remain admitted in hospital for the disease, representing an 18.4 percent occupancy rate.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Cebu City has had a total of 41,409 cases, of whom 39,689 have recovered and 1,517 have died for a recovery rate of 95.85 percent and fatality rate of 3.66 percent. (JOB, PAC)