The Puerto Princesa Contract Tracing Team team leader expressed belief that the sudden jolt in COVID-positive cases signifies the soft entry of the newly mutated variant in the island’s capital.
Dr. Ralph Marco Flores, during the City Information Department of Puerto Princesa City daily incidence report on January 19, 2022, said, “As of yesterday, 290 antigen reports yun. Bale 300% increase to our cases are (likely) soft signs of the (Omicron) new variant.”
From January 4 to January 18, positive cases daily ranged from 58 to 1,233 cases, with 654 active cases as of today.
“May ilang linggo pa tayong peak. Dapat mas maging maingat at mas mapagmatiyag tayo,” the Incident Management Team (IMT) chief, Dr. Dean Palanca, advised as he also shared about how different office departments have closed for a while due to the surge of cases in the employees.
Amid criticisms that the vaccination might have been a futile exercise since the cases continue despite the inoculation, Dr. Flores clarified that, “Ang promise ng bakuna ay hindi naman about (sa) completely na mawawala ang virus, pero it is more about immunizing the community to be away from severe symptoms and possible hospitalization.”
The three leading hospitals that serve as quarantine facilities are already on their 50% capacity peak, and they prioritize those infected patients with severe to terminal cases, leaving the population in the COVID-19 index of about 70% with mild symptoms (cough and cold, etc.) to be quarantined/locked down at home, given that they are supplied with care and medications needed to cater their needs.
The Incident Management Team still requests the public to be always vigilant and to avoid being in closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded spaces, and close-contact settings especially parties or gatherings that involve no safety precautions, as much as possible.
The IMT-chief also reiterates that they are not making reports to scare the public, for the surge is real and is absolutely happening everywhere.
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