Patients staying in the provincial government-run isolation centers of Negros Occidental have been decreasing as the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in all 31 towns and cities have continually dropped in the past weeks.

As of Feb. 15, the province only has 70 remaining active cases from 76 the day before, data released by the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) on Tuesday showed.

“For now, our isolation centers are almost empty,” provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said in an interview.

He noted that only more than 30 patients are staying at the Provincial Healing Center in E.B. Magalona while the isolation facility in Mambukal Resort in Murcia is already empty.

The facility in another “Yolanda” housing site in Silay City accommodates the daily arrivals, who stay only for a day or two, or until their swab test results are released, he added.

“Negros Occidental is okay. We receive the data of the PIMT. Everything looks good. We are proud of our team. We are proud of what we have accomplished,” Diaz said as he appealed to Negrenses to remain vigilant and help one another to prevent the spread of the virus.

“I just hope that with the ongoing surveillance testing of health units, we can contain the infections and isolate (the cases),” he added.

The latest data showed that eight towns and cities in Negros Occidental have zero active cases as of Feb. 15.

These are Binalbagan, Candoni, Cauayan, La Castellana, Murcia, Pulupandan, Don Salvador Benedicto, and Himamaylan City.

Data showed that Negros Occidental currently has 6,757 confirmed cases, including 6,472 recoveries, 70 active cases, and 215 deaths.

The cases include 1,156 locally stranded individuals; 303 front-liners; 301 overseas Filipino workers; 101 authorized persons outside residence; 15 pending classification; and two listed in other provinces but tagged in Negros Occidental. (PNA)