NINE towns and one component city of Misamis Oriental were placed under Alert Level 1.
According to City Health Office medical officer Dr. Teodoro Yu Jr., the areas in Misamis Oriental that are now under Alert Level 1 were the towns Alubijid, Binoangan, Initao, Libertad, Laguindingan, Lugait, Naawan, Sugbongcogon and Tagoloan and El Salvador City.
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, for his part, welcomed the inclusion of the nine towns and one component city of Misamis Oriental under Alert Level 1.
"At least that’s a good sign that there are some local governments that are now under Alert Level 1 in Misamis Oriental," Moreno said.
The city mayor reiterated that vaccination should be intensified in the province's 12 other towns and second component city, Gingoog City, to ensure better protection for Cagayan de Oro and Northern Mindanao.
Moreno said that it is difficult if the towns that are performing well in their vaccination campaign will be affected by a higher alert level due to the poor performance of their neighbors.
Apart from the nine towns and one city of Misamis Oriental, also under Alert Level 1 were Iligan City and Bukidnon. The rest of Misamis Oriental and majority of Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte are under Alert Level 2.
Yu said that only Bacolod town in Lanao del Norte and three towns and Ozamis City in Misamis Occidental are under Alert Level 1.
He added that the city hall of Cagayan de Oro had been sending vaccination teams in towns like Initao to augment their vaccination efforts while Villanueva town and Gingoog City continue to have low vaccination rates.