NEW coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Mandaue City grew sixfold in just eight days since Jan. 4, 2022.
The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) reported on Wednesday, Jan. 12, that the city now has 143 Covid-19 active cases from just seven in Jan. 4.
This after the city logged 43 new Covid-19 cases on Jan. 11, 2022, the highest so far since Jan. 4.
For 11 consecutive days, or from Dec. 24 to Jan. 3, Mandaue City had no new reported Covid cases.
Despite this, Dr. Ligaya Lakambini Dargantes, operations head of the city’s Vaccination Operation Center (VOC) and head of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said the sudden rise of new cases and active cases is already expected as a consequence of Typhoon Odette (Rai).
“Although we were still testing during post-Odette, we were already expecting a rise due to the gatherings that occurred after the typhoon such our residents gathering in lines to get water, to charge their devices, among others,” Dargantes added.
She also noted that some of the city’s evacuation centers were “jam-packed” after the typhoon.
She initially thought the city’s daily new cases were experiencing a plateau after only a few new cases were reported from Jan. 4 to 10.
On Jan. 4, the city logged only three new cases; four on Jan. 5; 25 on Jan. 6; 18 on Jan. 7; 11 on Jan. 8; 25 on Jan. 9; and 12 on Jan. 10.
With more Covid-19 cases expected to crop up, Dargantes said they are also preparing their isolation facilities.
But Dargantes admitted that of their three isolation facilities, only the Mandaue City Isolation Center (MCIC) at the old North Bus Terminal in Barangay Subangdaku is currently operational.
MCIC had at least 13 Covid-19 patients as of Jan. 12, while others have been in home isolation.
She said the two isolation facilities in Barangay Looc—Norkis Park and Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS) annex building used as a waiting facility for close contacts of Covid-19 patients are yet to be repaired after being damaged by the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.
For the Mandaue City Hospital (MCH), Dargantes said during their last meeting, at least 10 persons have been admitted in about 28 bed capacity, stressing that none of them have so far been found positive for coronavirus.
Dargantes further said that they are also setting up a triage area at the hospital for flu-like symptoms.
She also stressed that they are now conducting an inventory of personal protective equipment available for their frontliners.
Vaccination
Dargantes added they have also doubled their vaccination efforts in the city.
She said four of the city’s five vaccination sites are currently operational apart from the City Health Office and their scheduled barangay vaccination activities.
This despite the drawbacks and challenges on the internet connection and power supply.
Dargantes urged the public to get themselves vaccinated or receive their booster shots for those who are fully vaccinated as a way to boost their protection against Covid-19.