Councilor Joel Gargarnera, EOC deputy chief implementor of Cebu City, says the new cases today are the same as the close contacts. | Screen grab of Councilor Joel Garganera video (file photo)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The number of patients proving positive per batch of tested individuals have increased significantly in Cebu City.
The positivity rate as of February 5, 2021 has reached 9.95 percent, which is almost double the pandemic threshold of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementor of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said that the positivity rate was quite alarming because it signified the fast spread of the virus.
“Transmission is really fast and it’s everywhere. Right now, the new cases are the same in numbers with our close contacts,” said Garganera.
Based on the EOC data, index cases or recorded cases from individuals, who voluntarily subjected themselves to the swab test, comprise around 50 percent.
The other half are contacts of previously known cases.
Garganera said this data would show that there were more people catching the virus and developing symptoms causing them to seek testing.
“Fifty percent are new cases. It means that people really have their selves tested. The awareness is there,” he said.
“If you have yourself tested because you are not feeling well, our advice is PLEASE isolate yourself until the result is available. In this manner you avoid spreading the virus just in case you’re positive,” Garganera said.
Despite the rise, 63 percent of the cases has remained asymptomatic. Patients in critical care is also low, keeping the healthcare system stable.
Read: Rise in COVID-19 cases in Cebu City results in backlog of extraction of cases
However, the isolation centers are filling up causing the recent backlog in the extraction of positive cases.
With this, the EOC is opening eight additional barangay isolation centers (BICs) with the rise in cases.
Garganera urged the public to be more compliant with the health protocols before the cases would overrun the healthcare system and the city would be placed in lockdown again. /dbs
Read: Over 500 caught violating protocols in Cebu City markets in just 2 weeks