CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government reported a “drastic” drop in the number of new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) last week.
Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementer of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said the city only logged a total of 49 new cases from November 28 to December 5.
Garganera said that during the period, the city logged single-digit cases per day, which is much lower compared to the number of cases that were reported earlier in November.
“For the last 8 days, we are experiencing single-digit [cases]. Drastic ang pag ubos sa atong active cases as well as barangays that have no reported transmission for the last 14 days. Our positivity rate is also very safe,” Garganera said.
While the EOC notes a drop in active cases, it also reported a continuous rise in the number of patients who have recovered from their infection.
Garganera said that the city’s daily average for its number of active cases is at 6.25 percent while its recovery rate is at 23.25 percent.
The disparity between the active cases and recovery rate is an indication of a downtrend in the COVID-19 cases in the city, he said.
In addition, EOC logged a positivity rate of 1.27 percent in the last 8 days. This after only 49 of the 4,500 city residents who were made to under PCR test, yielded positive results.
As of Saturday, December 5, 49 of the city’s 80 barangays did not report any new transmissions in the last 14 days. This leaves the city will only 198 active cases.
However, Garganera warned that the drop in active cases is not a reason for Cebuanos to be complacent.
“The downtrend is not a ticket for the public to go back to their old ways. We have to remain vigilant and follow the health protocols because the cases can rise anytime,” he said.
He said that the need to observe physical and social distancing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and regular disinfection remains a must, especially during the Christmas celebration.
More Cebuanos are expected to go out of their homes to attend small gatherings to celebrate Christmas with relatives and friends.
Gift-giving is also discouraged to prevent the spread of the infection, he added.
“If we can do away with it this year especially with the pandemic and the economic situation, we should. Gift-giving can be a source of transmission,” Garganera said.
He is also asking Cebuanos to develop the habit of disinfecting gifts and packages that they would receive prior to opening these to ensure their safety and that of their respective families. / dcb