The DOH-13 Covid-19 status report as of May 19, 2021.
BUTUAN CITY – The surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Caraga region can be attributed largely to the mass gathering of people, the regional health department said.
In a report on Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) 13 (Caraga) noted that from May 2 to 8, at least 682 new cases were recorded; 743 cases on May 9 to 15; and 530 cases from May 16 to 19.
This prompted the chief of the Regional Task Force on Covid-2019 (RTF Covid-19) to call on local government units (LGUs) to strictly implement minimum health standards to contain the rise in infections.
“Let us be more stringent in the implementation of the minimum health standards to control the transmission of Covid-19 virus,” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 13 Director Liza Mazo, who chairs the RTF Covid-19, said during a virtual meeting with regional officials on Thursday.
According to DOH-13, at least three cases of B.1.1.7 VOC, or the variant first reported in the United Kingdom, have already been recorded in the region as of Wednesday, particularly in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, the Agusan del Norte town of Buenavista, and Cabadbaran City.
In the same period, 10 cases of the B.1.351 VOC (South Africa) were recorded in Butuan City, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands.
The DOH-13 also reported two cases of the mutations with potential clinical significance (MPCS) N501Y and E484K recorded in Bislig City and Buenavista town
“Bislig City and Butuan City are now classified as high-risk areas, having recorded a daily attack rate of 10.59 percent and 7.08 percent, respectively, in the past two weeks,” it said.
The department said the total recoveries from Covid-19 in the region stood at 9,976 as of Wednesday, with 106 newly recovered patients.
Caraga's active cases stood at 1,683 in the same period, with 397 Covid-19 related deaths since the pandemic began last year.
Meanwhile, the DOH-13 reported that 26,076, or 12.38 percent, of the 210,616 master-listed senior citizens have been vaccinated.
The vaccination of the A1 priority group, or the health care workers, continues in the region, with 43,554 having received their first shot.
A total of 18,204 A1 priority group have completed their two doses of the vaccine, the DOH-13 said. (PNA)
