Bicol records over 600 new COVID-19 cases

(FILE) The Albay Provincial Health Office conducts a swab test on people who have been exposed to new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. — MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

LEGAZPI CITY — At least 632 have contracted COVID-19 in Bicol on Friday, January 14, the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol said on Saturday.

The new cases brought to 5,151 the active cases in the region and the cumulative cases to 50,452 logged since March 2020, with 43,299 recoveries and 2002 deaths.

The new cases had a positivity rate of 46.6 percent of the 1,394 persons that underwent the COVID-19 testing on a single day, the report said.

Camarines Sur has the most number of new cases with 242, followed by Masbate (138), Albay (101), Sorsogon with 86, Camarines Norte (51), Catanduanes (12), and others (transient) two cases.

From January 1 to 14, Bicol logged 3,646 new cases with average daily cases ranging from six cases to 632 cases a day.

The highest reported cases recorded was on Friday, January 12 with 601, January 13 with 459, January 11 with 438, and January 10 with 361 cases.

The increasing trend in the number of cases has prompted the national Interagency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has placed the region under Alert Level 3 with the exception of Masbate province and Ligao City where these areas were declared under Alert Level 2.

Under Alert Level 3, tighter restrictions on movement of individuals, particularly those without vaccination cards, are imposed. Some 30 percent only capacity is allowed only in the indoor establishments while 50 percent capacity is allowed for outdoor activities.

Local IATF has also directed all malls in Bicol to enforce the “no vaccination cards, no entry policy” while it also enjoined public and private offices to implement the work from home arrangement.

/MUF