Negros Occidental has the second highest number of COVID-19 vaccinated residents in Western Visayas, with Iloilo province in the top slot, Provincial Administrator Rayfrado Diaz said Tuesday. October 26.
Diaz gave the explanation after the province was ranked by the Department of Health as the lowest performer in terms of target population reached in Western Visayas in its report Monday.
That is because Negros Occidental has the largest target population to be vaccinated at 1,825,370, he said.
Negros Occidental has vaccinated 419,822 residents or 23 percent of its target, he said. The provincial government needs to vaccinate 1,405,548 more residents or 77 percent of the target population, he said.
The target population of Iloilo province for vaccination is 1,448,757 followed by Capiz – 568,364. Antique – 432,452, Aklan – 427,664, Bacolod – 410,701, Iloilo City – 335,172, and Guimaras -130,908, the DOH reported.
Another reason why Negros Occidental is second in terms of number of residents vaccinated is because it has only been in the last three weeks that large numbers of Pfizer, Moderna and Sinovac vaccines have been delivered to the province, Diaz added.
He said local government units in Negros Occidental have ramped up their vaccination drives.
As of Monday, the top performers were Silay City with 36,176 residents vaccinated, followed by Cadiz City -31,458, Sagay City – 30,587, Talisay City – 26,953, Bago City – 26,242, Victorias City – 23,423, and La Carlota City – 22,054.
The LGUs with the highest number of target population vaccinated are La Carlota City at 47 percent, followed by Silay City at 39 percent, Pulupandan and Victorias City – 36 percent, EB Magalona – 34 percent and San Enrique – 32 percent.
The Negros Occidental provincial government has completed its rollout of its previous Pfizer supply and is now administering Moderna jabs, Diaz said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 positive patients in the province’s healing centers and designated hospitals have been dropping, he said.
The provincial healing center in EB Magalona had 52 occupants, Cadiz City -16 and Silay City – 22, Diaz said.
At the COVID-19 designated hospitals the Valladolid District Hospital’s occupancy rate was 69 percent with 27 patients and 10 beds available, Cadiz City District Hospital – 95 percent with 87 patients and seven bed available, and Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital in Himamaylan City – 74 percent with 38 patients and 13 available beds, Diaz added.
COVID-19 cases are gradually going down, Diaz said, adding that he hopes more residents cooperate and get vaccinated against COVID-19.*