ILOILO – Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in this province were on the decline.
From the 4,742 logged between Sept. 2 and Sept. 15, cases dropped to 2,152 or by 47 percent from the period Sept. 16 to Sept. 29, data from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed.
The average number of cases per day also decreased – from 379 cases per day in the last three to four weeks, to 179 cases per day in the past two weeks.
According to Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, PHO head, the decline in cases was the result of many Ilonggos being vaccinated and everyone’s cooperation in following the minimum public health standards such as social distancing and wearing of face masks and shields.
“Amat-amat lang, basta magkooperar kita tanan, hopefully very soon, mabalik na ang aton maayo nga pagsinarayo kag ekonomiya,” said Quiñon.
As of Sept. 26,
365,597 or 25 percent of Iloilo’s target population already received their first dose, while 267, 946 or 18 percent have been fully vaccinated.
The province has to inoculate 1,448,757 residents to achieve herd immunity.
APPEAL TO DOWNGRADE
If COVID cases here continue to go down, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said he could appeal to downgrade the province to a more lenient quarantine status.
The province is currently under a modified enhanced community quarantine.
“We want to make sure that the direction of COVID-19 is similar to our direction in loosening up our quarantine measures,” he added.
As of Oct. 2, Iloilo had 5,134 active coronavirus cases./PN