177 NEW ACTIVE CASES RECORDED

TRUE to the prediction by health experts, cases of COVID-19 began to surge anew in Pangasinan, with 177 new confirmed active cases added to the list, raising the number of active cases in the province to 276 as of December 17 as compared to 159 last December 10.

Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer, confirmed the surge of COVID-19 cases in her talk during the virtual session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last December 13, where she recommended that children aged 14 years and below and adults from 66 years and above should not leave their homes since they are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.

Records of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed there were only 48 patients that  recovered against the 177 new confirmed patients.

The overall COVID-19 cases in Pangasinan since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,462, and out of which 2,085 had recovered. The death toll went up to 101, six of whom recently died in hospitals from December 12-16.

The six new fatalities were a 65-year-old man from Mangaldan, a 40-year-old man and another 53-year-old man from Malasiqui, a 74-year-old man from Binmaley and a 34-year-old woman from San Fabian, who all died on December 16; and a 39-year-old man from Dagupan City who died on December 12.

Last week, UP OCTA recently predicted a spike in coronavirus disease cases after the Christmas holidays, noting the penchant of Filipinos for parties and merry-making activities where social distancing could be openly disregarded.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III himself confirmed that while the Yuletide season is not yet over, COVID-19 cases have begun to spike in some regions, including Region 1.

Of the 2,462 overall total number of cases, 1,875 were registered in the province’s 47 towns and cities while Dagupan City accounted for 587.

Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario submitted his observation that the new spike of COVID-19 cases is attributable to the lack of discipline among the people to comply with the health and safety protocols, from not wearing face masks and face shields to refusal to observe social and physical distancing.

He called on P/Colonel Ronald Gayo, the new OIC of the Pangasinan police, to order his policemen to crack down on violators of health and safety protocols in a bid to bring down COVID-19 cases. (Leonardo Micua)

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