Total cumulative cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Western Visayas is inching closer to 22,000, as the region’s recovery rate as of Monday (Jan. 11) already stood at 93.9 percent based on the data of the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6).

In a phone interview Tuesday, Dr. Mary Jane Roches Juanico, head of the infectious disease cluster of DOH-CHD6, said the region has 21,954 total cumulative cases as per report of the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit (RESU).

It recorded 23 new confirmed cases, 79 recoveries and one death.

“So far we have recorded the lowest number of active cases of 672 equivalent to 3.06 percent. Our recovery is 20,608 or 93.9 percent, almost at par with the data of the national,” she said.

Juanico said that as of December 2020, they have already noted a 75 percent decrease in cases while the peak was from August until October.

“Relatively from 290 plus cases, we dropped to an average of 50 cases per day in December,” she said.

This January, they expect cases to “surge” due to post-holiday activities, she added.

Nonetheless, Juanico attributed the declining cases to massive testing, which also yielded negative results and observance of health standards, among others.

However, the death toll, she said, has increased to 668, which is equivalent to a case fatality rate of 3.04 percent, higher when compared with the global and national data.

She said that most of the mortalities are senior citizens with co-morbidities.

DOH also looked at other factors such as delaying medical intervention, instead of seeking immediate consultation upon manifestations of signs and symptoms of the disease.

“It is almost severe when they go to health facilities while others have been declared dead prior their official Covid-19 results were known,” she said.

To date, Juanico said all the necessary preventive measures, including the implementation of minimum public health standards, have been put in place.

What is needed, she said, is probably to test more to determine the level of local transmission.

The region already has 15 laboratories that are capable of testing a maximum of 6,500 specimens a day.

For local government units, only Antique and Guimaras have no laboratories within the provincial level. Their specimens are being sent to the sub-national laboratory of the Western Visayas Medical Center in this city’s Mandurriao district. (PNA)