THE Department of Health-Center for Health Development 1 (DOH-CHD 1) recently confirmed that the COVID-19 situation in Region 1 remains manageable but reported that there are still a few cities, towns and barangays that need special attention owing to their still rising cases.

At the Virtual Presser on May 17 conducted by the Philippine Information Agency regional office, Dr. Rheuel Bobis, spokesman of DOH-CHD 1, said the region already registered 17,516 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 13,441 already recovered and 459 unfortunately have died as of May 16.

Bobis did not cite what geographical units need special attention but he reported that as of May 16, Pangasinan and Dagupan City are still with the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the region.

He, however, assured that the cities, towns and barangays with special concerns and needing attention, whose number of cases remain high are now being taken care of by their respective local government units and the Department of Health.

Records of the DOH-CHD 1 showed Pangasinan registered 7,599 cases, Dagupan City, 4,495 cases; La Union, 4,312 cases, Ilocos Norte, 2,181 cases; and Ilocos Sur, 1,429 cases.

Bobis said compared to other regions of the country, Region 1 is not in the top 10 regions with the highest cases in the country.

The fact that Region 1 continues to remain under the Modified General Community Quarantine and the quarantine requirement has never been raised ever since is proof that the region’s situation is manageable.

On health care utilization rate, he said the region is presently 42 to 45 percent, from a high of from 50 to 60 percent over the past months when the region reported a spike  in the number of cases.

He clarified that health care utilization rate refers to occupancy of existing intensive care units, wards and isolation unit beds.

The low health care utilization rate in the region confirms that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is already on a decline, Bobis added.

Meanwhile, the 226 vaccination sites in the region already vaccinated 59,286 front line health workers, and 27, 358 of whom already received their second dose of the vaccine while 12,447 senior citizens took their first dose of the vaccine, and 357 already took their second dose.

He, however, admitted that while vaccination is continuing, there is limited supply of the vaccine being delivered to the region to date. (Leonardo Micua)

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