The Department of Health raised Negros Occidental’s COVID-19 alert level to three on Monday, September 6, although its risk classification remains at moderate.
The COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental hit 1,193 on Monday, the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) reported.
There were also three new COVID-19 deaths in Negros Occidental Monday for a total of 620 since the pandemic started last year, the PIMT added.
“There is a close to surge already happening in Negros, we’re back to over a thousand cases. So definitely the more contagious variant is present here in Negros Occidental,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
The highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant has been in Negros Occidental, itS just that the Philippine Genome Center has only recently been releasing its findings, Lacson added.
“It does not matter anymore what the variant is, the concern is the virus is still here,” he said.
The instructions are still the same, follow minimum health protocols and avoid gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus, Lacson said.
“The situation requires discipline from all of us,” he stressed.
“Definitely we see a rise in cases in the LGUs (local government units), specifically in EB Magalona, Bago City and San Carlos City,” Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
That is why the COVID-19 vaccination program will continue along with prompt testing for the virus, he said.*