A total of 12 towns from Samar and Southern Leyte provinces have been identified by the Department of Health (DOH) as coronavirus-free with no single case recorded since the start of the global health crisis.

These towns are Balangkayan, Can-avid, Hernani, Jipapad, and Maslog in Eastern Samar; Biri, San Antonio, and San Vicente in Northern Samar; Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, and Talalora in Samar; and Hinundayan in Southern Leyte province.

The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-free towns represents only 9.55 percent of the region’s 136 towns in six provinces, according to a list released by DOH on Monday night.

In Samar and Northern Samar provinces, all coronavirus-free areas are island towns, preventing virus carriers from the mainland from transmitting the virus to the residents, the DOH said.

DOH Eastern Visayas regional director Minerva Molon urged local government units in these areas not to be complacent even with their Covid-19-free status.

“The fight against Covid-19 will be sustained in these areas if local governments and residents will continue to follow health protocols,” Molon said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 43 new cases were added to the list of Covid-19 patients in Eastern Visayas on Monday night.

They are part of the 437 laboratory samples tested in two Covid-19 laboratories in the city.

New cases were reported in Tacloban City, Babatngon, Hilongos, Leyte, and Tabango in Leyte; Calbiga, Calbayog City, and Catbalogan City in Samar; and Taft in Eastern Samar.

As of October 12, the region has already recorded 5,321 cases, including 4,665 recoveries and 51 deaths. There are only 605 active cases, representing 11.37 percent of the total. (PNA)