Health execs see rise in Eastern Visayas COVID cases

TACLOBAN CITY—Health officials in Eastern Visayas have noted an increase in COVID-19 cases almost a month after the region posted single-digit cases daily.

The Department of Health (DOH) in the region on Wednesday (Jan. 5) reported 33 new cases which was almost double the number of cases in previous days.

Of the 33 new cases, 20 were from Leyte province, including the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, which had no COVID cases last December.

The other new cases in the region were 11 from Samar and one each from the provinces of Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte.

The DOH is looking closely at Southern Leyte as it continued to grapple with the impact of Super Typhoon Odette (Rai).

Jelyn Lopez Malibago, information officer of the DOH in the region, said that there was a likelihood of a spike in COVID cases as a result of Odette’s impact, which drove hundreds of people to packed evacuation sites.

“We can really see that possibility, considering their health condition which makes them vulnerable to COVID-19,” she said.

Malibago said the sudden spike of cases in the region could be due to close contact among people during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The DOH reminded the public to strictly observe all health protocols to stop the spread of SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and its variants.

Health officials in the region assured the public that the region has yet to record a case of Omicron, the latest variant to threaten public health worldwide.

TSB