By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The OCTA Research Group said Bacolod City is now facing a new surge in COVID-19 cases while Negros Occidental is now tagged as “critical risk.”

Based on the group’s COVID monitoring dated October 2, University of the Philippines Professor Guido David said Bacolod City had just recovered from a recent surge but is now facing a new one, possibly driven by the more contagious Delta variant.

David also noted that several cities and municipalities surrounding Bacolod City are also facing a new surge in cases.

He said the seven-day average in new cases in Bacolod City had increased by 21 percent to 158 as of their September 26 to October 2 monitoring.

Although the reproduction number in the city has already decreased from a peak of 1.86 last September 15 to its current value of 1.37, cases are still noted to be rising.

The incidence rate of the average daily attack rate (ADAR) in Bacolod City was 26.93 per day per 100,000, i.e. at critical level.

The city’s seven-day positivity rate was at 23 percent and hospital utilization is at 80 percent i.e. at a high level.

As a result, both Bacolod City and Negros Occidental have been placed at “critical risk.”

David also noted other municipalities and cities deemed at “critical risk” in the province are Cadiz, Talisay, Kabankalan, La Carlota, and Sagay.

He even noted the case of Kabankalan City, wherein the city was already at 100 percent hospital utilization, while Cadiz is at 92 percent.

Meanwhile, the cities of Bago and Silay are currently deemed as “high risk.”

As of October 3, 2021, active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental have breached the 4,051 mark after recording 243 new cases.

Bacolod City, meanwhile, has 2,068 active cases with 136 new cases reported on Sunday./DGB, WDJ