IT'S the travels outside Cagayan de Oro City by city residents who failed to comply with minimum public health standards that constituted the bulk of the surge in Covid-19 cases in the city, a top city health official said on Wednesday.
"Remember we saw signs of the increase back in late April (when the number of positive cases that vacationed during the Holy Week break came out). At that time, the people were complacent and went outside the city because the number of cases were lower in March (compared to May) og nagsugod ta pag-adto sa lain lugar, og grabe nga pagtapok-tapok," City Health Office (CHO) resident epidemiologist Dr. Teodulfo Joselito Retuya Jr. said.
Charts presented by Dr. Retuya during Wednesday noon´s City Hall press briefing showed that from late April, the number of Covid-19 positive cases who were contact traced and found to have traveled outside of Cagayan de Oro City went up to 127 cases or 11.5 percent from May 1-17 compared to 105 cases or 11.5 percent for the entire month of April.
From May 1-17, the number of Covid-19 cases who attended birthday parties were pegged at 32 or 2.9 percent compared to 23 cases or 2.3 percent again for the entire month of April. For the same May 1-17 period, the city recorded 20 Covid-19 cases who attended gatherings compared to only eight for April.
"On May 1-17 alone, the number of travelers outside the city who tested positive along with those who attended gatherings, parties etcetera doubled compared to last month," Dr. Retuya said.
Based on this data which he said were significant, Dr. Retuya said the public can expect more cases in the days to come.
"Remember that the city's resorts were closed during Holy Week and we strictly enforced our health protocols. Most of our people went out and when they came back, they either displayed symptoms (or were asymptomatic, testing positive later)," Dr. Retuya said.
"In these parties, these trips outside the city, in these weddings and gatherings, the common element is that people eat closely together. Moingon sila kaila man mi tanan apan ang pangutana asa man sila gikan. If we can just minimize these activities and comply with minimum public health protocols, then we can lower our cases," Dr. Retuya said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
