By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental is starting to drop, according to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.

Diaz yesterday said, based on the monitoring of the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT), Negros Occidental currently has 4,069 active cases after peaking close to around 4,500 last October 15.

He noted that it is a slight decrease although he hopes that the numbers will continue to drop in the coming days.

Quarantine centers in the province are also starting to clear up with the E.B. Magalona Provincial Healing Center down to 68 positive cases; the Silay City Quarantine Center with 54 positive cases; and the Mambukal Quarantine Facility at 30 positive cases.

Diaz noted the 30 positive cases at the Mambukal facility are all employees of the provincial government and their families.

Despite the noted decline in COVID-19 cases, Diaz noted hospitals in the province remain a concern as a lot of COVID-19 patients are still being brought for treatment.

He noted those patients who are being hospitalized are suffering moderate to severe COVID-19 cases, and most are unvaccinated.

Data from the PIMT submitted to Diaz as of October 16 showed that hospital occupancy at the Cadiz City District Hospital is at 102 percent with 95 patients currently being treated.

The Valladolid District Hospital, meanwhile, has an occupancy rate of 92 percent with 36 COVID-19 patients, while the Valeriano Gatuslao District Hospital in Himamaylan City is at 66.67 percent occupancy with 34 patients.

“Kadamo na sang mga naga-recover pero damo man ang gina-ospital,” Diaz said.

(There are a lot of recoveries, but admissions at hospitals remain high.)

The provincial administrator also pointed out that Negrenses should not let their guard down as 4,000 active cases is still a big number, and the number of samples being submitted to their laboratories daily is also dropping.

“A lot of our fellow Negrenses remain in danger of being infected,” he added./DGB, WDJ