THE number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pangasinan since the start of the contagion has ballooned to 219 as of July 31, 2020, 76 of whom considered active and still confined but notably, there has been a high rate of recovery among positive cases.

To date, 133 have recovered, 11 died (2 from Dagupan, 9 other towns/cities).

Records show 37 cases were added to the list from only 46 on July 24, that prompted calls for review of the classification of Pangasinan from Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

But Governor Amado Espino III and Provincial Health Officer Dr, Anna de Guzman have clarified that the spike in the number of cases in recent days was the result of the renewed expanded targeted mass testing among frontline workers, and the big influx of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs), adding that more cases can be expected because of continued testing in the province.

The mass testing of front liners, which include policemen, members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard, has been stepped up by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) on order of Gov. Espino.

Almost all of those who tested positive for COVID-19 had no history of travel in Metro Manila, still the epicenter of the coronavirus contagion in the country, or abroad, which fueled speculations there may now be community transmission of the disease in Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, the influx of LSIs continues and the latest to arrive were three from Tayug, two from Balungao and Asingan and one each from Binalonan, Umingan, Lingayen, Mangaldan, Pozorrubio, Dagupan City, San Manuel and Rosales.

The LSIs were first swabbed for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction test before they were fetched from the border by their respective LGUs that were expected to quarantine them for 14 days before they can join their respective families.

Dr. De Guzman stressed the high rate of recovery can be attributed to the strong immune system of most of the positive cases and encouraged residents to boost their immune system by eating balance diet, sleep well and follow all the safety health protocol because these are their best defenses against COVID-109.

She added that after less than five months, the coronavirus has become self-limiting and no longer as deadly as before, an opinion shared earlier by Dr. Rhouel Bobis, designated by Dr. Valeriano Lopez, regional director of the Department of Health (DPH)  as focal person on COVID-19 in Region 1.

Based on record, July 24 marked the biggest single-day surge of COVID-19 cases in Pangasinan with at least 23 new confirmed cases added into the list.

Before deadline on July 31, eight COVID-19 patients had recovered. They are a one-year-old boy, a six-year and an eight-year-old girls, and a 47-year-old male from Barangay San Felipe East, San Nicolas; a 49-year-old female from San Carlos City, a 47-year-old male from Malasiqui, and a 34-year old female and another 11-year-old female, both from Sual. (Leonardo Micua)

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