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Eighty-five percent of the CLMMRH staff have received their anti-COVID vaccines*Two nurses at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, vaccinated with their first Sinovac dose, have tested positive for COVID-19, Dr. Julius Drilon, CLMMRH chief, confirmed Monday, March 22.One nurse works at the operating room and the other at the emergency room, he said.Drilon said 85 percent of the CLMMRH staff have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.“Those who have been vaccinated can still be infected with COVID-19 if they are not careful, but will not suffer moderate to severe effects, they will not die”, Drilon said.As of Monday, the CLMMRH had seven admitted COVID-19 patients, and two health care workers, Drilon said.The nurses got the virus...

There are 264 COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental and 111 in Bacolod City for a total of 375.The Provincial Incident Management Team reported that as of Sunday, March 21, Negros Occidental had 264 COVID-19 active cases, with the highest number in La Carlota City at 29, followed by San Carlos City with 27, Sagay City – 19, and Cadiz City -17.Only two towns, Candoni and Salvador Benedicto had no active COVID-19 cases.There are 41 new COVID -19 cases in Negros Occidental and seven in Bacolod City, the Department of Health reported Monday, March 22.There are COVID-19 cases in 22 barangays in Bacolod City, Dr. Chris Sorongon, City Emergency Operations Centers deputy for medical data and analysis, said.Negros Occidental has had 193 COVID-19 deaths and Bacolod City -186...

A drive-through molecular laboratory for COVID-19 testing in Bacolod City is being proposed, Dr. Chris Sorongon, City Emergency Operations Center deputy for medical data and analysis, said Monday, March 22.Safeguard DNA Diagnostics presented the proposal to the EOC but no specific details have been provided yet, he added.The EOC will study the proposal and submit its recommendation to Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, he said.It is the same firm that will manage the COVID-19 molecular laboratory at the Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town, Negros Occidental, that is awaiting Department of Health accreditation, Sorongon said.Bacolod City currently has five molecular laboratories for COVID-19 testing.They are at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Ho...

The national Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID) as of today, March 22, had not responded to the request of Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson for a two-week travel moratorium of all land, air and sea travel into Negros Occidental amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.However, travelers from the mega Manila area are not expected in Negros Occidental for two weeks, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Monday, March 22.That is because the Department of the Interior and Local Government has announced that no one can enter and go out of the mega Manila area for two weeks, except for essential workers and returning overseas Filipino workers.Residents of the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal where COVID-19 ca...

BCPO photoTwo persons were killed in a motorcycle accident along the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway in Barangay Cabug, Bacolod City Sunday night, March 21.Killed were 26-year-old Remy Christopher Bertolano and his friend, Julius Xander Urbano, 37.Maj. Ritchie Gohee, Police Station 9 chief, said the victims came from Barangay Punta Taytay and were on their way home to Barangay Handumanan.They took a shortcut through the economic highway, but may have been unfamiliar with the road, he said.Bertolano could have lost control of the speeding motorcycle after they reached a rocky portion of the road, which is still being constructed.Both victims were thrown off the vehicle.They died on the spot.*

There will be no Catholic processions on Holy Week to prevent the spread of COVID-19.*Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Catholic Church in Bacolod City will hold virtual Holy Week activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Dr. Chris Sorongon, City Emergency Operations Centers deputy for medical data and analysis, said Monday, March 22.Sorongon said the EOC team met with Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon three weeks ago and were informed that the Diocese of Bacolod will not be holding traditional processions and activities on Holy Week, instead everything will be virtual.If there is a procession it will only the religious images that will be driven around the city but people will not be walking behind them, he said.“We are very happy that the Diocese of Bacolod is very cooperati...

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Mindanao Development Authority chairperson, (l-r) at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday, March 22.*A memorandum of technical cooperation between the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) and the Negros Occidental provincial government is set to be signed to boost food self-sufficiency.This was disclosed by MinDa chairman Emmanuel Piñol, former agriculture secretary, who met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod City Monday morning, March 22."We are very interested in Mindanao about learning new farming technologies in Negros Occidental, specifically your rice, sugarcane multi-cropping. It is something that we will adopt in M...

Capitol photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson turned over checks worth P7.5 million to various local government units in Negros Occidental for the implementation of coastal wetlands rehabilitation and environmental conservation programs Monday, March 22.The ceremonial turnover of financial assistance was held at the Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City, spearheaded by Provincial Environment Management Office heade Danilo Amisola.The beneficiaries were Brgy. VI-A, Victorias City, Sipalay City, Bago City, and the municipalities of Valladolid, Moises Padilla, Pulupandan, E.B. Magalona, Manapla, Ilog, Candoni and Isabela.Among the projects are the establishment of a mangrove board walk and mangrove training center, fishing supplies and materials, installation of marker buoys in marine prote...