Cordillera logs highest single-day COVID deaths at 23

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has recorded its highest single-day coronavirus death toll on Sunday, Sept. 12, with 23 persons succumbing to the disease.

As of 9 p.m. Sunday, data from the Department of Health (DOH) Cordillera showed three deaths were recorded in Abra, four in Apayao, eight in Baguio City, six in Benguet, and two in Mountain Province.

The new record brings to 1,034 the total deaths logged since the start of the pandemic last year. The region’s active cases are at 6,695, with Baguio City and Benguet recording the most number of infections at 2,268 and 1,483 respectively.

Abra has 522, Apayao has 1,002, Ifugao has 500, Kalinga has 690, and Mountain Province has 230.

Of the active cases, 2,766 are asymptomatic, 3,474 have mild symptoms, 211 moderate, seven severe, 45 critical and 192 for verification.

Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes, chief of Baguio City’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said in a phone interview that households and workplaces, where the transmissions happen, need to step up in curbing the spread of the virus.

She said the fight against COVID-19 and the highly contagious Delta variant would need more than keeping up with the minimum health standards.

Panes said the proper use of face masks even within homes is encouraged, especially with children and the elderly and those with comorbidities around.

She said a “bubble” could be created for the vulnerable persons with no visitors allowed to reduce the risk of transmission. “We cannot let the virus defeat us,” she said, reminding people to immediately isolate and test family members who are suspected carriers.

In earlier interviews, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city had to further beef up its control measures to slow down the spread of the virus.

He urged residents to refrain from unnecessary travels outside of their homes to lower the chances of contracting the virus, especially of a more virulent nature as the Delta is believed to be the prevalent variant.

He said the city’s control and contingency measures are in place but with the virus raging, selfdiscipline and self-protection are paramount. (PNA)