BAGUIO CITY –– With the spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in the Cordillera last week, Baguio may need to wait for three to six more months to see a “significant reduction” of transmissions, the city health services office said during a June 23 online presser of the Department of Health.
As of Tuesday, medical frontliners of the mountain region have treated a total of 110 transmissions since March, with an increase from 57 to more than a hundred cases occurring only last week. Benguet recorded the biggest number of cases at 25, while Baguio hospitals confined seven new cases, one of whom had died.
Dr. Celia Brillantes, assistant city health officer, said, “We really can’t say that for now [since] we also see increased cases in Metro Manila and other cities… We hope [improvements will take place] in three months [or until September].”
“For me, it will take another six months… for a significant decrease in cases in Baguio… We will not be getting zero [transmission] in three months, but at least we hope to get a few cases,” she said.
Baguio and the Cordillera provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, and Mountain Province are under a modified general community quarantine, which has been characterized by more workers out in public during weekdays with the opening of more businesses and offices.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong had offered to send rapid test kits to some of the Cordillera provinces to help track down possible transmissions and to keep the contamination within their borders, Brillantes said.
Last week’s rise in cases included the first infection recorded on June 16 at Besao town in Mountain Province, which had been spared from the virus since March when Luzon was locked down.
“We got worried last week [because of] our new confirmed case but everybody here is on their toes and more aware of why we have precautions in place,” said Judith Daoas, a DOH development management officer in Mountain Province during the briefing. She said borders have been tightened and have been “monitoring those who come from areas with local transmissions.”
In Benguet province, one of its 25 active cases is in critical condition, while five exhibited severe symptoms, and are being treated at the Benguet General Hospital, said Mercedes Calpito, DOH development management office in that province, during the presser.
She said the Benguet surge could be attributed to the increase in the number of tests conducted on residents who are more vulnerable to the virus, as well as people who have had contact with patients.
One of the patients attributed to Ifugao is a seafarer from Hingyon town, who was about to fly out when he tested positive for the disease in Manila where he is being treated, said Agustina Noces of the DOH Ifugao office.
The province, which recorded a total of six cases, has improved its boundary checkpoint procedures and have been strict about travel passes, she said.