LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, July 4, said the Bicol region had shown an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
The DOH report said from June 26 to July 2, the region recorded 82 cases, much higher than 32 in the June 19 to 25 monitoring.
Dr. Ferchito Avelino, assistant chief of DOH Bicol, said they attribute the continuous increase to the public complacency in following basic health protocols and easing restrictions of the local government units.
He said if the transmission of the virus continued, there would be another increase in cases in the next seven days.
“As of today, the trend of COVID-19 is increasing, and if we do not act on this and increase the vaccination coverage in the region, the cases will continue to rise,” Avelino said.
Albay has recorded 37 cases, two in Camarines Norte, 17 in Camarines Sur, 13 in Catanduanes, and 13 in Sorsogon. Six of them had died, while two were in severe condition.
The region had recorded 59,272 COVID-19 cases since March 2020, with 56,271 recoveries and 2,600 deaths.
In Albay province, this city had recorded the highest number of cases, with 26 in just a week.
Mayor Geraldine Rosal said most cases were not severe, and patients were already isolated.
She said they were ramping up the vaccination of vulnerable groups through the composite vaccination teams and other partner agencies.
The city has vaccinated 96.73 percent of the 171,766 target population – the highest coverage in the region.
DOH Bicol said 72.23 percent of the 5,040,943 target population in the six provinces had been vaccinated.