COVID-19 cases in Calabarzon rose after NCR shifted to GCQ

Cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Calabarzon increased after neighboring region Metro Manila shifted to the less stringent general community quarantine, the chief of Department of Health (DOH) Region 4A said Wednesday.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras,” DOH Calabarzon Director Eduardo Janairo said cases rose more significantly in Cavite and Laguna.

“I would consider the whole of Calabarzon as high risk. However, within Calabarzon, ang kailangang bantayan namin is Cavite and Laguna kasi ‘yan ‘yung entry ng marami when it comes to the industries,” he said.

“In Rizal, parang nagkakaroon na tayo ng medyo calming down of the cases,” he added.

COVID-19 cases in Cavite rose by 23 overnight to a total of 626 on June 30.

In Laguna, cases rose by 38 from 738 on June 29 to 776 on June 30.

Rizal, meanwhile, recorded 10 new cases overnight between June 29 and 30.

“Inside and outside travel ng ating mga workers, even tao, talagang magkakalat talaga ng sakit ‘yan,” Janairo said.

“Ang importante lang ngayon sa akin, huwag magkamatayan. Even ‘yung pag-uwi-uwi ng bahay niyan o ‘yung pagsakay-sakay, malaki ang epekto niyan doon sa transmission ng disease,” he added.

Janairo added that the ramping up of testing in the region may have driven the rise in cases.

Experts earlier identified Rizal and Leyte as high-risk areas for COVID-19 transmission.

Meanwhile, the provincial government said it is prepared to cope with an increase in cases.

“Nakapag-set up po tayo ng mga isolation facilities. We have eight hospitals, government hospitals… nakahanda po kami just in case talagang magkaroon po ng surge,” Rizal Vice Governor Reynaldo San Juan Jr. said.

“Twenty to 30 percent lang po ang occupancy rate ng ating mga cases, mga cases ng COVID sa mga hospitals natin,” he added.

Janairo also urged the establishment and designation of “armamentarium” in the fight against COVID-19 such as isolation centers, referral hospitals, non-COVID hospitals, birthing centers, dialysis centers, crematorium, and laboratories.

The Philippines has logged 38,511 COVID-19 cases with 999 new cases on Wednesday afternoon. 

Calabarzon is the region with the third-highest number of infections at 2,694 as of June 30, according to the DOH’s online tracker. -Julia Mari Ornedo/NB, GMA News