Quezon hits 2,066 active COVID-19 cases

LUCENA CITY — The number of confirmed active COVID-19 cases in Quezon province has breached the 2,000 mark after health authorities recorded an additional 134 new virus carriers on Sunday.

Based on the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) latest bulletin on September at 5 p.m., the new COVID-19 cases raised the overall active case count to 2,066, the highest single-day tally since the pandemic began in March last year.

The spike of COVID-19 cases started on July 23 when there were only 705 active virus carriers back then.

Lucena City, the provincial capital which is under strict modified enhanced community quarantine until Sept. 7, topped the list with 516 active virus carriers.

The COVID-19 death toll also rose to 1,006 as of Sept. 5 after the IPHO recorded nine more fatalities – two each in Candelaria, Lopez and Calauag towns, and one each in San Antonio, Jomalig and Tayabas City.

At least 50 of them died from Sept. 1 to 5 or an average of 10 fatalities daily. During the same period, the IPHO recorded a total of 828 new cases.

Last month, Quezon logged an alarming 3,192 COVID-19 cases and 193 deaths, the highest monthly tally since the pandemic began.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Quezon has recorded 37 COVID-19 Delta variant cases as of September 2.

The record showed that 16 of the COVID-19 patients with Delta variant have recovered and one died in Lucena City while 16 others were being subjected “for verification.”

Gov. Danilo Suarez disclosed that most hospitals in COVID-19-stricken towns and cities are now full of patients.

The governor reiterated his appeal to the public to follow all COVID-19 safety protocols, such as wearing face masks and face shields and observing safe distancing.