Negros Occ. Prov’l Gov’t sets up more Covid-19 rooms amid spike in cases

The Negros Occidental Provincial Government is setting up more hospital rooms dedicated to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients as infections continue to increase since early September.

On Sept. 14, the province breached the 2,000 mark anew after several months, recording 2,043 active cases, data of the Provincial Incident Management Team showed.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said that he sees the local cases could “even go higher”.

“I also think that we will be breaking records soon. Obviously, although not confirmed, it is really the Delta variant that is present in the province. I say this because the number of new active cases on a daily basis is now in triple digits and we even hit the 200-level already on a given day. We’re always told that the Delta variant is more transmissible and that is exactly what is happening,” he said.

“We did everything already, especially as far as borders are concerned, but obviously it’s (Delta variant) already within the community. Individually, we will just have to protect ourselves. There’s nothing much we can do,” he added.

In response to the surge in local infections, Lacson said the provincial government will convert another Capitol-run hospital – the Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial Hospital in Himamaylan City in the south – into a Covid-19 treatment center, with some 50 beds.

It will be the third Covid-19 facility of the province after the Cadiz District Hospital in the north and the Valladolid District Hospital, also in the south.

The governor said the Cadiz District Hospital will be expanded to provide 70 more beds.

“My appeal to the Negrenses is you really have to protect yourself. This is not a joke anymore. If you have a scheduled vaccination do not miss it because studies showed that those fully vaccinated are protected more,” he added.* (Nanette Guadalquiver, PNA)