THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said regions in Mindanao are seeing a sharp surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and have now outpaced the National Capital Region and its neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal (NCR Plus).
In a virtual press briefing, Dr. Alethea de Guzman, director of the DOH – Epidemiology Bureau, said recorded cases in the southern regions “as a whole, has outpaced or is higher than the number of cases we are seeing now than the rest of Luzon and even in NCR.”
“While cases are not as high, all Mindanao regions are increasing at a fast rate,” she said.
Data from the DOH shows that the growth rates in Mindanao for the period of May 16 to 29 are as follows: Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) with 6 percent, Northern Mindanao (Region X) with 64 percent, Davao Region (Region XI) with 67 percent, Soccsksargen (Region XII) with 53 percent, Caraga (Region XIII) with 78 percent, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 38 percent.
Asked for the factors in the sharp surge in Mindanao, De Guzman cited the presence of the different COVID-19 variants in the area.
“I think in the regions in Mindanao we are seeing an increase in the number of COVID-19 variants of concern, especially in Region 9,” she said.
So far, the DOH has detected COVID-19 cases caused by the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil and India variants in the country.
Similarly, De Guzman pointed to the loose compliance to public health protocols in Mindanao. “The core of it really is adhering or compliance to the minimum public health standards,” said.
She added another contributing factor is the confidence of people who have already received their two doses of COVID-119 vaccines.
“When one is vaccinated, you feel good, you feel the protection. But the vaccines are there to protect us from becoming severe or critical,” said De Guzman.
Aside from Mindanao, she said that regions in the Visayas have also been in an upward trend but at a gradual pace.
“Region 6 (Western Visayas) cases continue to increase at a fast rate, while Regions 7 (Central Visayas) and 8 (Eastern Visayas) have gradual increases,” said De Guzman.
Currently, the growth rates in the Visayas regions are Western Visayas with 12 percent, Central Visayas with 23 percent, Eastern Visayas with 45 percent.
Similarly, the DOH noted how other parts of Luzon outside the NCR Plus areas are also seeing inclining cases.
The growth rates in Luzon regions are Mimaropa (Region IV-B) with 51 percent; Ilocos Region (Region 1) with 23 percent, and Bicol Region (Region V) with 11 percent.
And with 12 of its 17 regions showing increasing number of new COVID-19 cases, De Guzman reported that the country is already seeing an overall growth in numbers.
“Case increase nationally and across all island groups is more evident in the past week,” noted the DOH official.
De Guzman said proof of this is that the cases reported have already plateaued, after seeing a significant decline in April.
“The average daily cases are now higher than the start of May,” she said.
Data shows that the average daily reported cases from May 27 to June 2 was at 6,691.
The number is higher when compared to last week (May 20-26) of 5,214; as well as to the start of May (May 6-12) of 6,410.
