SIMILAR to what’s happening in Manila and elsewhere in the country, an increase in Covid-19 cases is not a remote possibility in Cagayan de Oro City, City Hall’s resident epidemiologist said.
“It’s the second week of face-to-face classes in our city this month but we are concerned about what’s happening in places like Manila where they experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases (after the resumption of face-to-face) classes) and the same can happen here in Cagayan de Oro City,” CHO epidemiologist Dr. Teodulfo Joselito Retuya Jr. said in Visayan during Monday’s Covid-19 response press briefing.
Dr. Retuya said this amid a drop in Covid-19 cases in the city two weeks after the city fiesta when a surge in cases was recorded in the past two years since the pandemic occurred. City Health Office (CHO) data showed a decline to double figures on active cases in the past few days, with the city logging eight new cases and 58 active cases as of 10 pm on Sept. 13.
From a high of 24 average daily cases logged during the July 31 to Aug. 13 period, Dr. Retuya said the city’s daily cases gradually went down to 14 during the fiesta week of Aug. 21-27 and 10 daily cases for the Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 period.
“Single-digit daily cases were recorded in the Sept. 4 (to) 10 period. We are thankful that more people answered our call to get vaccinated,” Dr. Retuya said.
Still, Dr. Retuya voiced concern about City Hall’s vaccination campaign amid government-mandated vaccination targets of 90 percent of the city’s seniors and 50 percent of the general population under the PinasLakas program.
“We have seen a drop in cases…thankfully, we see more efforts in enforcing health safety protocols like those in malls where they resumed requiring vaccine cards now,” he said.
While saying that unvaccinated residents are being prioritized in city-managed sites, Dr. Retuya said those unable or unwilling to receive their second dose and/or booster shots will be re-scheduled in favor of those willing to complete their vaccine dosage.
The national government recently extended the country’s state of national public health emergency in order to meet nationwide vaccination targets. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)