Quezon province has intensified its vaccination program amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. Image from Facebook / Integrated Provincial Health Office – Quezon
LUCENA CITY—The number of active COVID-19 cases in Quezon jumped to 11 after seven new infections from Sariaya town were reported Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12, provincial health authorities said.
Data from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed that Sariaya logged four new COVID-19 patients on Saturday and three on Sunday.
Sariaya had been free of COVID-19 from April 21 to June 5.
As of Sunday, Sariaya has eight active infections, and one each in the towns of Atimonan, Mauban, and Tayabas City. On June 2, there were only two active COVID-19 cases in Quezon.
“All patients are under strict house lockdown,” said Sariaya Vice Mayor Alex Tolentino in an online interview Monday.
He appealed to his townmates to observe the minimum health safety standards—wear face masks, especially if they have symptoms, and avoid crowded places as much as possible—to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Be conscious always. The coronavirus is still around. And get fully vaccinated with a booster dose, if you qualify, “Tolentino said.
The province has logged 11 new COVID-19 cases, four recoveries, and no deaths this month.
In May, the new COVID-19 cases in the province dropped to 14 from 21 in April, 88 in March, and 772 in February.
As of Sunday, Quezon has recorded 32,886 COVID-19 cases, 31,315 recoveries, and 1,560 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed 14 municipalities in the province under Alert Level 1, the least restrictive of the five-level COVID-19 alert system, until June 15.
The areas in Quezon now under Alert Level 1 are Atimonan, Candelaria, Dolores, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, Sampaloc, San Antonio, Tiaong and Tayabas City. Lucena has been under Alert Level 1 since March 16.
At least 27 more towns out of the province’s 41 municipalities will remain under Alert Level 2 during the same period due to the low vaccination rate among its residents.
The low number of vaccinated residents was due to the prevailing hesitancy in getting the vaccine against the viral disease.
Most residents who received their first dose failed to return for their second dose, probably out of fear or because they had experienced bad side effects from their first dose, local health authorities reported.
IATF guidelines say they could downgrade the status of provinces, cities, and municipalities to alert level 1 once they fully vaccinate 70 percent of their population and reach the required vaccination coverage for senior citizens.