BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (August 13)—Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) surged above 500 on Wednesday, with the addition of 15 new cases, according to the Department of Health (DoH).
The DoH said the new case brings the Cagayan Valley region’s total Covid-19 recorded cases to 510, none of which is recorded as new cases for the National Capital Region.
According to the Health Department, of the 15 new cases, 14 are from Isabela province and one from Cagayan province in addition to the 66 cases recorded on Tuesday, the highest number confirmed in one day.
Meanwhile, Dr. Rio Magpantay, DoH-Region 2 director, said Cagayan Valley was now experiencing local transmission and the number of infections might still increase especially when people are exposed to carriers who may be asymptomatic.
“We are appealing to local government units to continue their contact tracing as well as mandatory quarantine activities for returning overseas Filipino and locally stranded individuals,” he added.
He bared that the DoH-Region 2 office had to temporarily close operations because employees were infected with Covid-19.
“We are conducting disinfection in all our buildings across DoH Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development and we are formulating steps in preventing the threat of the spread of the virus inside our offices,” Magpantay said.
He added that they would open their office as soon as they had fully set up all other measures for the safety of their employees and clients.
Cagayan Valley comprises the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batanes and Quirino.
In Quirino province, Gov. Dax Cua has confirmed their first Covid-19-positive case in the province making Batanes as the only province in Region 2 (Cagayan Valey) with no recorded Covid-19 positive case yet.
The patient is a member of their household, a helper who may have been exposed to an asymptomatic carrier. She is confined at the Southern Isabela Medical Center in Santiago City, Isabela for treatment.