Baguio cases breach 200 mark with 25 infections recorded in a day

BAGUIO CITY — The city’s total number of coronavirus cases breached the 200 mark on Thursday (Aug. 13) when the health services office recorded 25 infections — the largest yet in a single day.

Among the new patients is an 8-year-old girl, who now counts among the 214 Baguio patients afflicted with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since the pandemic started, according to data provided by the city information office on Friday (Aug. 14).

Baguio has six fatalities including a baby who passed away two days after being born.

The maternity ward of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center has been closed for disinfection, following reports that some of the new cases were detected there. The BGHMC is the primary facility in the city that has been dedicated to detecting and treating COVID-19 patients.

Sixteen barangays (villages) have locked down neighborhoods where patients live to allow epidemiologists and investigators to locate people who may have been exposed to them.

The city government has restored tighter restrictions on movement by reducing market and shopping mall schedules allotted each week for households in 128 barangays to ensure residents stay indoors.

But religious services have been allowed to resume on Sunday (Aug. 16) from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. provided churches enforce strict health protocols.

The rise in cases has been attributed to the active testing of 10 percent of Baguio’s 350,000 population, focused on vulnerable sectors such as the elderly, and the work force exposed to the public such as medical workers, public utility drivers, bank employees, and recently, grocers.

The initiative helps analysts determine the behavior of viral transmissions.