Iloilo City remains on alert vs. Covid-19 amid low cases

ILOILO CITY – Iloilo City remains on alert amid its low cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in adherence to the advisory of the Department of Health (DOH) on cases coming from China.

“We are on alert. Fortunately cases are decreasing. We only have one death for 2023, who died Dec. 31 but we reported on Jan. 3, an immunocompromised male from Calumpang,” said Dr. Marigold Calsas, head of the City Health Office-City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CHO-CESU), in a press conference on Wednesday.

She said that for the Jan. 1 to 10 period, the city has only recorded 13 new confirmed cases; 10 are vaccinated and while three are unvaccinated who are all admitted.

“Those admitted are unvaccinated. What is sad is that they don’t know the importance of vaccination unless they are sick,” she added.

Meantime, Covid-19 focal person Dr. Roland Fortuna said that the number of persons submitting to vaccination in health centers, particularly for booster, is getting less.

Data from the CHO showed that as of date, 501,143 individuals or 146.16 percent of the target population in the city are fully vaccinated and 165,906 or 48.39 percent have booster shots.

He said that the city government is waiting for the new vaccines coming from the national government to augment the continuous Covid-19 vaccination program of the local government.

They will serve as additional booster but due to limited supply the prioritization will follow the existing priorities implemented in the Covid-19 vaccination program starting with frontline health workers.

“This will cover the other strains,” he added.

However, there is no guidelines yet from the national government if when it will arrive and how many will be allocated for Iloilo City. (PNA)