Governor Amado Espino III has asked local government units (LGUs) to implement emergency measures to address the recent spike in new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Pangasinan.
Espino said these measures recommended by the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force Covid-19 Management Team are the reinstating of market schedules, regulation of dine-in services, entertainment, and recreational venues, strict regulation or monitoring of social gatherings for funeral wakes, and Oplan Sita.
This came as the province saw a record single-day number of infections at 721 on Friday, raising the active case tally to 2,935.
“Nakakaalarma ang ating datos nitong mga nakaraang araw. Kitang kita po araw-araw ang pag-akyat ng bagong kaso. Puro all-time highs po ang mga numerong ito (The data in the past days are alarming. We could see that the number of new cases daily is increasing),” Espino said in his video message on Friday night.
Among the top 10 cities and municipalities with a high number of active cases are Calasiao with 232, Bayambang with 181, San Carlos City with 178, Urdaneta City with 152, Malasiqui with 149, Pozorrubio with 135, Lingayen with 102, Mangaldan with 92, Binmaley with 87, Bugallon and Villasis both with 83, Alaminos City with 75, San Fabian with 64, Sison with 63, Binalonan with 62, Sta. Barbara with 61, and Mangatarem with 59.
There has been an increasing trend in the number of active cases in the province for the past week, starting from 202 on August 22; 317 on August 23; 344 on August 24; 489 on August 25; and 592 on August 26.
Another 164 new recoveries were logged, bringing the recovery tally to 15,707 out of a total of 19,247 cases. Another 51 new fatalities raised the death toll to 605.
Espino, in his letter circular to the local chief executives dated August 27, said some activities or venues have been identified as susceptible to a higher risk of transmission.
“It is imperative to immediately arrest or slow down this alarming spike in Covid-19 cases so as not to overwhelm our already packed isolation facilities and more importantly, our hospitals,” he said.
Espino has also urged Pangasinenses to strictly adhere to health protocols and government policies.
He reiterated the importance of strictly practicing basic health protocols like wearing face masks and face shields, frequent hand washing or sanitizing, physical or social distancing, limited travels or movements, and getting vaccinated.
Pangasinan is under the least restrictive modified general community quarantine but some localities that are under the high-risk category for Covid-19 opted to implement a stricter quarantine status while the provincial government provided the highly affected areas with relief goods.
Espino said the provincial government is also continuously hiring additional health workers to address the surging number of Covid-19 patients. (PNA)
Source: Philippines News Agency
