Cebu City’s daily COVID-19 positivity rate drops to 6.5%

Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementor of the EOC in Cebu City, says the positivity rate of COVID-19 in the city has gone down to 6.5 percent. |CDN Digital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) revealed a further improvement in the COVID-19 cases in the city.

The daily positivity rate has dropped to 6.5 percent, a huge drop from the average 20 percent in August 2021 where active cases reached around 4,000. This also reflects in the active cases of 1,325 as of September 18, 2021.

“Today, we have the lowest daily positivity rate since the start of our 3rd surge at 6.5 percent,” said Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementor of the EOC.

The improvements in the COVID-19 cases continue to show in the downtrend over the past days, but the EOC appeals to the public not to be complacent because COVID-19 not only affects those, who are alive today, but also those have yet to be born.

The city currently plays host to 67 pregnant or post-partum residents at the City Central School lying-in facility as they recover from COVID-19. At least 12 babies have been born into the third surge of the pandemic since August 2021.

Garganera said this was where vaccines would play the huge part, as vaccinated pregnant women would less likely die of COVID-19 and could potentially save herself and her child.

In fact, a 34-year-old unvaccinated woman died of COVID-19 shortly after birth and her baby died a day after.

“She had all the opportunity to get vaccinated, but for reasons I could not understand she refused (to be vaccinated). All her family members including her in-laws got positive except for the husband who managed to have himself vaccinated,” said Garganera.

With this, the EOC appeals to adult members of their families to get vaccinated for the sake of their children and vulnerable members.

Garganera said the city’s death toll had finally showed signs of slowing down, but it would be up to the people to see through the pandemic to its end by getting vaccinated and remaining vigilant.

“I am appealing to all, Christmas is just around the corner, it won’t be a happy one if not all of us are on the same page in this fight against this virus. Get yourself vaccinated, don’t choose any vaccine, the one that is available is the best one, he said.

“And also once you get vaccinated, it is not a substitute for protocol compliance. Sul-ob gihapon sa face mask, likay sa pundok pundok, ug mahimo exercise kay a healthy body improves your immune system,” said the councilor.

(And also once you get vaccinated, it is not a substitute for protocol compliance. We will still wear face masks, avoid gatherings, and if possible exercise because a healthy body improves your immune system.)

RELATED STORIES

67 COVID-19 deaths in Cebu City for September so far

Laboratory disinfection causes low report on cases, EOC asks for patience

EOC reports more deaths in mountain barangays

Cebu City EOC: City government won’t regulate churches; vaccination bubble not required

Cebu City welcomes DILG probe on ‘no vaccine no dine-in’ policy

132 Cebu City resident frontliners hit with COVID-19

EOC: No more waiting lines in most hospitals

/dbs