DAVAO CITY – COVID-19 cases in Davao City have dropped to its lowest rate of 4% with 480 active cases as of November 9, which places the city in Alert Level 2 or low risk area.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, said in an interview over Disaster Radio last week that the rate of new COVID-19 cases continue to drop, with November 8 recording the lowest cases of 16.
In previous months, Davao City experienced a surge of infections reaching as high as 6,700 active cases, as the COVID ward of Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) and treatment facilities went beyond full capacity, and some private hospitals opened facilities for infected patients. Back then, health officials also resorted to home treatment of cases they deem manageable in such settings.
But now, Davao City has logged 480 active cases as of November 9. Schlosser said with this decline of cases, SPMC is again delegated as the sole center to cater for COVID-19 admissions so that private hospitals can focus on admission of non-COVID patients.
“We only have few cases now and most of our cases are asymptomatic and mild so I think SPMC can accommodate,” said Schlosser.
Dr. Schlosser attributes this to the vaccination rollout by the city government and the cooperation of Davao residents to follow public health standards.
The city has rolled out 875,080 second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which accounts to 67% of its target of providing jabs to 1.2 million persons in the city.
With the drop of COVID-19 infections, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has classified the city to a less-strict Alert Level 2 status.
With this status, Mayor Sara Duterte released Executive Order 66 stating that the requirement of a negative RT-PCR test will no longer be required for persons entering Davao City via land, sea or air travel.
No documents will be required for persons entering the city except for security checks.
Duterte-Carpio remarked that with the downward trend, she expects a safe Christmas holiday for the people in Davao City.
