By Darlene Delgado

Bacolod City needs more medical personnel as cases of coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, continue to rise anew.

Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical data and analysis of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), yesterday requested the Department of Health Region 6 to send augmentation personnel to the city’s hospitals.

Recently, Mayor Evelio Leonardia convened several village chiefs for an online meeting following the three-digit figure rise of COVID-19 infections for three consecutive days in the city.

“This is alarming for us, considering that it’s been quite long that we only had double-digit cases. Now we are back to having three-digit figures,” the mayor said, adding that the presence of the more transmissible Delta variant in this city is another reason to be alarmed.

Meanwhile, Sorongon disclosed that 90 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted in different hospitals in the city are unvaccinated.

He cited one city hospital wherein out of 25 admitted COVID-19 patients, five of them are now being intubated.

Two city hospitals, Riverside Medical Center and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH), have also temporarily stopped accepting COVID-19 patients effective Monday, September 14.

“As much as we want to cater to all COVID-19 patients who are moderate to critical, the hospital is adamant due to the various constraints, such as the availability of manpower and beds,” the advisory issued by the CLMMRH said.

On Tuesday, Bacolod City logged 105 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total active cases in the city to 1,447./WDJ