BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in Negros Occidental is continuing to improve based on the latest figures from the Department of Health (DOH).
As of May 1, according to DOH Region 6, Negros Occidental’s COVID-19 growth in cases over the past few weeks was running at negative 30 percent, with an average daily attack rate per 100,000 population at 0.04.
The province’s risk classification currently remains “minimal”.
Negros Occidental’s quarantine facilities utilization rate also remains low. Of the 3,180 isolation beds, only four have been occupied since May 1 – a utilization rate of only 0.12 percent.
Despite the greatly improved situation, however, the province still lags in COVID-19 vaccination.
As of May 1, Negros Occidental’s fully vaccinated population was at 61.87 percent while the fully-vaccinated A2 or senior citizen population was at 58.69 percent.
Currently on top of DOH-6’s COVID-19 vaccination program is Bacolod City at 132.76 percent fully-vaccinated general population and 149.31 percent for senior citizens.
It is followed by Iloilo City with 126.10 percent fully-vaccinated general population and 78.25 percent for senior citizens.
Negros Occidental only has 10 active COVID-19 cases with total confirmed cases since March of 2020 at 41,401.
Total recoveries is at 39,422, while fatalities is at 1,968./PN