Negros Occidental remains under MGCQ despite rising COVID-19 cases

BACOLOD CITY –– Amid requests for a stricter quarantine status, Negros Occidental will remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until April 30.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he was informed that Negros Occidental could not revert to general community quarantine (GCQ) because its COVID-19 infections had not reached the required level for that classification.

Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III relayed to him the message that the COVID-19 average daily attack rate should be seven percent and above, and the two-week daily growth rate should be 200 percent to be considered at high risk.

Densing said Negros Occidental’s average daily attack rate as of April 8 was at 1.97 percent, and its two-week daily growth rate was 107 percent which was considered moderate.

Lacson, however, pointed out that the COVID-19 situation in the province had been alarming and that the number of infections was rising.

“Why do we have to wait for 200 percent (growth rate) or a daily attack rate of seven percent? Well, they don’t see it that way. There are standards that should be present (to be placed under for GCQ). Right now, we have not reached those numbers, and that is what we are avoiding,” the governor said.

As of April 11, Negros Occidental had 1,333 active COVID-19 cases with three-digit daily increases lately, according to the Department of Health.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who announced the new quarantine classifications in the country on Sunday, told the Inquirer that Lacson’s request to place Negros Occidental under GCQ again came late.

Roque did not have any idea yet if the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) would deliberate on Negros Occidental’s request.

Negros Occidental has been under MGCQ, but Lacson on Friday asked that it be reclassified to GCQ following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the province.

The Western Visayas Regional IATF and Regional Task Force also passed a resolution endorsing the request for the change in Negros Occidental’s status to GCQ.

Lacson was planning to implement a 4-day workweek at the Capitol to reduce the exposure of provincial government’s employees to the virus. An 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew in Negros Occidental also took effect starting Monday.

“I’m calling on the public to cooperate and comply with the curfew. Our province is experiencing a widespread [increase in] new COVID-19 cases. Staying out of homes for long hours may further aggravate the situation,” Lacson said.

LZB