SAFETY NET. A mother and her son wear face masks while attending the Good Friday procession in Dumaguete City on April 7, 2023. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion on Thursday (April 27, 2023) appealed to the public to continue wearing face masks as Covid-19 cases in Negros Oriental spiked significantly this week. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The Provincial Health Office in Negros Oriental is asking the public to continue wearing face masks and observe minimum protocols as coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases rose significantly this week, an official said Thursday.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said that as of April 26, Negros Oriental logged 49 active cases.
“Last week and in the previous weeks, active infections were reported in single digits, sometimes as low as three or five cases, but now the number has gone up,” Estacion said.
One new death, a 73-year-old female from Bais City, was also reported.
T
he fatality, who had comorbidities, died last week. She did not receive any booster shots, Estacion said.
The health official also appealed to the public to abide by the minimum health protocols, especially now that the province is under Alert Level 2, except for six towns and cities.
This is due to a low 58 percent vaccination rate among the province’s total target population of 1,148,424.
Those under Alert Level 1 are this provincial capital city and the towns of Amlan, Bacong, Dauin, Valencia and Zamboanguita, for having acquired a high vaccination rate.
Dengue, typhoid fever cases up
Meanwhile, the PHO also reported spikes in the cases of dengue, typhoid fever, acute bloody diarrhea, as well as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) since January this year.
For dengue, the province logged 398 cases with one death, which is 91 percent higher than the 208 infections and one death recorded the previous year.
Typhoid fever cases rose to 177 with zero death this year, higher by 75 percent than last year with 101 infections and two deaths.
HMFD cases also continue to rise with 605 cases already but with no death. However, Estacion said there is no comparison from last year as the PHO only started its surveillance of the disease this year.
There were also 288 cases of acute bloody diarrhea with two deaths, which is higher by 95 percent than last year’s 148 cases and zero death.
Estacion called on the public to remain vigilant against these diseases, especially as most infections are usually triggered by contaminated water, except for dengue which is transmitted via mosquito bites. (PNA)
