SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Department of Health Center for Health Development in the Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD 1) has confirmed that the number coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the region is now on a downward trend amid the presence of new variants.
In an interview on Wednesday, DOH-CHD 1 Covid-19 focal person Dr. Rheuel Bobis said based on their monitoring, the number of active cases increased to 5,542 in April, then to 5,090 in May.
As on June 13, the number of Covid-19 active cases in the region was at 2,447, Bobis said.
“The increased number may be attributed to the new Covid-19 variants present in the region but with the downward trend now, we can say that the local government units successfully contained the new variants,” he said.
DOH-CHD-1 reported that some 43 individuals in the region tested positive of B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.3 Covid-19 variants as of May this year.
“There is no evidence yet on the different effects of the new variants to the individuals except that these have heightened transmissibility,” he added.
During the Kasama sa Pamana: Regional Pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Series seventh leg on Tuesday, Bobis reported that of the active confirmed cases in the region, 58.3 percent are mostly asymptomatic, 35.5 percent have mild symptoms, 6.1 percent have severe symptoms, while there are patients suffering from critical symptoms.
As of June 13 this year, he said recoveries in the region are at 19,031 or 84.7 percent, while deaths account for 2.8 percent or 630.
Bed occupancy rate also decreased to 21.1 percent.
Meanwhile, based on the latest available data of DOH-CHD 1 as of June 14, some 249,623 have been vaccinated, 67,062 of whom have completed the second dose of the vaccine. (PNA)
