ALARMING REALITY

THE University of the Philippines OCTA Research Group listed Pangasinan as one of the 10 provinces in the country that recorded a high positivity rate.

The data was made public when the agency, together with the Department of Health (DOH) warned the public of an ‘uptick’ in COVID-19 in the post-holiday season.

Positivity rate, also called percent positive, refers to the percentage of people who test positive out of all of the tests done.

In its January 12 report, OCTA ranked Pangasinan third with 18% positivity rate, while Agusan del Sur and Misamis Oriental were ranked first and second with 28% and 27% positivity rate, respectively.
The data showed that the seven-day positivity rate in Pangasinan (January 4 -10), almost 18% of all of those who were tested for the virus, got positive results.

The OCTA has encouraged stricter observance of health protocols.

However, the Pangasinan provincial health office (PHO) differed in its findings that show a lower positivity rate at seven percent.

Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer, said the province’s data were based on a different time frame.

She said data of the Department of Health are normally much higher than those of the province’s data.

Despite the difference in results, de Guzman admitted a common denominator — both results showed an upward trend after the holiday season.

De Guzman said most of the new active cases in the province during the holiday season were authorized persons outside residence (APOR), returning OFWs and locally stranded individuals (LSIs), and close contacts of health frontliners who tested positive.

As of January 12, 9 A.M., the PHO recorded 3,270 overall total confirmed COVID-19 cases: 597 are active cases, 2,544 have recovered, while 129 deaths were recorded.

Dagupan City tops the province’s ranking with 187 active cases, followed by Calasiao (64), Manaoag (42), Binmaley (30), and San Carlos City (28). (Ahikam Pasion)

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