TABUK CITY, Kalinga – COVID-19 cases in Kalinga continue to increase with the province recording a high average daily attack rate of 17.9 and bed occupancy rate in isolation facilities and hospitals reaching warning zone or moderate risk level.
Report from the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed there were 840 new cases recorded in the province from April 1 to April 18, of which 62% or 524 cases were recorded in Tabuk City.
The municipality of Tanudan is tagged as critical risk; Tabuk City, Lubuagan, Pinukpuk, and Rizal are high-risk areas; and the municipality of Pasil is tagged as moderate risk. Meanwhile, the municipality of Balbalan is at low-risk level and the municipality of Tinglayan is at minimal risk level.
The report also showed that three out of the 18 COVID-19 facilities in the province, including Tabuk’s Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility in Agbannawag and the Kalinga Provincial Hospital, have already reached full or near full capacity.
Overall, the bed occupancy rate in government and private COVID-19 facilities in Kalinga is under Warning Zone or Moderate risk level.
“Haan nga ang-angaw daytuy nga virus”
On Monday, Mayor Darwin Estrañero called on the public to strictly follow minimum health protocols as COVID-19 infections in Tabuk continue to surge due to community exposure.
“Yesterday, I think we had three COVID-19 related deaths. Isu nga kunkunak nga haan nga ang-angaw daytuy nga virus. Ket daytuy manen ti palagip kadatayo nangnangruna ta puro community exposures tattan. Anya daytuy community exposure? Isu daytuy ti maala kadagituy gatherings nga pappapanan tayo,” the mayor said.
“Ket nu kuma amin nga mapanan tayo, nangnangruna kadagidiay adu ti sangsangwen na nga tao, if you protect yourselves, you are also protecting your family,” he said.
The local chief executive also criticized individuals who continue to deny the existence of COVID-19, saying they are putting others at grave risk. “They don’t believe in this virus. There are some people who got infected but since they are not feeling anything, they don’t believe in this virus,” he said.
“Dagiyay daduma haan da nga matamaan a ta napigsa ti resistansya da ngem kasanu ngay dagiyay nakapsut ti resistansya na?” he said. “Natangken ti ulo, awan ti pammati tayo ti virus, iramraman mu metlang ti kapamilyan daytuy kinatangken ti ulo,” the mayor said.
He also reminded those who have already been vaccinated to not be complacent and still practice minimum health protocols.
“Daytuy panagsurut ti protocols, dakkel ti maitulong na. You can just imagine, nu agsuot tayo ti maskara ti amin nga mapanan tayo, agugas ti ima nu sumangpet ka, anya ngay ti akaram,” the mayor said.
“Please refrain from pulling down your mask especially when you are talking to someone. When you go home to your respective barangays, dakayu mangibaga nga isuot da iti maskara da because you do not know you might be bringing home the virus from diay naggapwam nga lugar,” he said.
