Number of suspect Covid-19 cases in NegOr drops

By Mary Judaline Partlow

DUMAGUETE CITY – The number of suspected cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Negros Oriental has seen a slight drop in recent days, according to authorities here.
At a press conference Monday morning by the Inter-agency Task Force on Covid-19, Governor Roel Degamo said he is happy to see the numbers dropping and hopes that this will continue in the coming days.
“The drop in the graph is a good indication that the people of Negros Oriental are very cooperative,” he said.
“Let us continue to do that. Just stay at home,” he added.
Degamo placed the province of Negros Oriental under a state of calamity and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) starting April 3.
With the ECQ, everyone was told to stay home except for certain sectors, such as medical and health workers and food and utility service providers.
In the press conference, Assistant Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Liland Estacion, said she believed the drop in numbers could be attributed to the closure of borders since the ECQ started.
As of Sunday afternoon, she said records showed that 6,267 asymptomatic people have “graduated” from home quarantine, while 5,591 others are still considered as persons under monitoring or PUMs and being monitored at their respective homes.
For those with mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), the province recorded 262 on Saturday but the numbers dropped to 244 the following day, with nine classified as Moderate Acute Severe Respiratory Infection (MARI) from the previous 10 and six Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) which remained at a “plateau”, Estacion said.
The ILI-Mild, MARI and SARI cases are considered as patients under investigation (PUIs), she said.
Estacion is hoping the drop in the cases of suspected Covid-19 will continue in the coming days as she also reiterated the appeal of the governor for everyone to stay home, unless necessary for urgent or emergency reasons. (PNA)