8 die from COVID-19 in Eastern Visayas.

TACLOBAN CITY –– At least eight people were added to the list of coronavirus fatalities in Eastern Visayas.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the eight deaths came from Catbalogan City (2); Basey town (2); and Paranas (1)—all from Samar province; Leyte (2); and Biliran, (1).

The fatalities in Leyte came from MacArthur and Tacloban City.

The patients, aged 52 to 88, died between Sept. 5 and 8.

As part of the protocols, the patients were immediately buried.

The region has 3,569 COVID-19 cases with 33 deaths.

Of these new cases, 44 are from Leyte; 14 from Samar; five from Northern Samar; and one from Biliran province.

Dr. Mark Steven Capungcol, head of the surveillance and epidemiology unit of the DOH, assured the people that despite the increasing COVID-19 cases, the healthcare facilities of the region have not been overwhelmed yet.

“Our healthcare facilities are ready to accommodate and cater to our patients for quality medical treatment and management of cases,” he said.

Capungcol said both the national and local government units are doing their best to ramp up the capacities of the region’s health facilities by providing them enough funding and giving them needed equipment like personal protective equipment, face masks, and shields.

They also hire and train additional human health resources for mobilization in the different health care facilities.

Capungcol said the best way to combat the dreaded virus is for the people to strictly observe all the health protocols like wearing of face masks and shields, observing personal hygiene and social distancing, and staying at home.

LZB