Bicol records 85 new cases of COVID-19; total now is 915

LEGAZPI CITY –– Bicol region on Thursday registered 85 new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), its highest day-on-day increase since March, according to the Department of Health (DOH) in the region.

With these new cases, the number of known COVID-19 infections in Bicol has now reached 915, with 450 active cases.

Twenty-five patients have died due to complications connected to COVID-19.

In a bulletin released Thursday, DOH Bicol said the positive cases were broken down as follows: Legazpi City – 13, Daraga – 5, Camalig – 1, Malinao – 1, Oas – 1, and Pio Duran – 1, all in Albay province; Baao – 23, Pili – 5, Iriga City – 4, Bula – 1, Calabanga – 1, and Nabua -1, all in Camarines Sur province; Naga City – 17; Bato – 1, San Andres – 1, and Virac – 1, all in Catanduanes province; and Matnog – 4, Pilar – 3, and Sta. Magdalena – 1, all in Sorsogon province.

The test results arrived four days after the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or swab test specimens taken in the region were rerouted to the Eastern Visayas Regional COVID-19 Testing Center (EVRCTC) in Tacloban City.

With about 2,000 backlog in tests, Bicol rerouted samples to the Visayas due to depleting supply of GeneXpert cartridges used in testing in Naga City and magnetic extraction kits used in Legazpi City, the DOH Bicol said.

Because of the depleted supply, the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City has prioritized testing patients with severe or critical conditions, while the Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (BRDRL) has reverted to manual extraction.

Aside from material resources, Bicol has also experienced a lack of human resources after a biologist resigned from the post to transfer to a new job, while two medical technologists are also set to resign, according to DOH Bicol health education and promotion officer Noemi Bron.

No one has applied for the posts, she said.

LZB