Baguio City a COVID-19 hotspot? Mayor says cases on a ‘downtrend’

PARK RIDE The wooded Wright Park, popular for horseback riding, is among the busiest tourist spots in Baguio City before the government imposed a lockdown in Luzon in March to contain the spread of COVID-19. INQUIRER FILE/RICHARD BALONGLONG

MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 cases in Baguio City are on a “downtrend,” Mayor Benjamin Magalong asserted Friday after a research group tagged the City of Pines as among the “hotspots of serious concern” for transmission of the new coronavirus strain.

Magalong said OCTA Research’s study was based on data from two to three weeks ago when Baguio City is reeling from a sudden surge of coronavirus infections.

“Iyong naging basis ng OCTA sa kanilang study, ito iyong data from two to three weeks ago. Lumabas na talagang high-risk, which is true. Talagang tumaas ang aming kaso,” Magalong said in a televised press briefing.

(The basis of the OCTA study is the data from two to three weeks ago. It turned out that we’re a high-risk area, which is true. We really saw an increase in cases.)

READ: Research group classifies 9 LGUs as ‘high-risk’ areas for COVID-19

“Pero for the past two weeks talagang nasa downtrend na kami at ito’y talagang pinakita namin sa Department of Health,” he added.

(But for the last two weeks, we’re on a downtrend at we’re able to present it to the DOH.)

The Baguio City government once again tightened its border control after its neighboring towns reported an increase in coronavirus infections.

KGA