Active COVID-19 cases in Bulacan spike to over 300

The province of Bulacan continues to inoculate the rest of its population during a recent mass vaccination at the Pavilion of Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center, its major vaccination site, in the City of Malolos. (File photo by Carmela Reyes-Estrope)

CITY OF MALOLOS–The province of Bulacan has recorded over 300 new COVID-19 cases within three days, prompting a local health official to warn against a possible higher alert level if the number would continue to rise.

As of Sunday, Jan. 2, Bulacan has 393 active COVID-19 cases and at least 303 of these were recorded from Dec. 31, Dr. Hijordis Marushka Celis, Bulacan COVID-19 task force vice chair, told the Inquirer in an interview Monday.

Citing data, Celis said 372 of these patients were undergoing home isolation, four were admitted to hospitals, and 17 were taken to quarantine facilities.

The City of Malolos has the highest active COVID-19 cases at 67, followed by the City of San Jose del Monte (61), Marilao (48), Sta. Maria (40), and Plaridel (27).

Bulacan is among the localities near Metro Manila, which could be experiencing a local transmission of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19.

“Possible talaga maging Alert Level 3 din tayo kaya ingat pa rin. Mask, physical distancing at handwashing dapat. ‘Wag lumabas kung hindi kailangan. Magpabakuna,” Celis said. Bulacan is under Alert Level 2.

The province has recorded 92,323 confirmed cases since 2020 with 90,449 recoveries, and 1,481 deaths. It has inoculated at least 3,606,319 residents from its population of 3,708,784.

Lzb