Twenty-one COVID cases of the Omicron variant were logged in Bacolod City, as confirmed by the Philippine Genome Center with the results relayed to the Emergency Operations Center Feb. 1, Dr. Chris Sorongon, EOC deputy director for data analysis, said.
Sorongon said the samples taken from the swabs of COVID-positive patients from Jan. 7 to 12 were found with high bacterial load and were sent for sequencing to the PGC.
The more than 20 Omicron cases also confirmed that there was already local transmission of the variant in Bacolod, he added but stressed that all of the patients have fully recovered.
Of the cases, eight are males and 13 females, with two elderly and 19 aged 25 to 56 years old.
Sorongon since that since all of them have already recovered, what the tracking team did was to go to their respective barangays and assess their latest health status and that of their close contacts.
Six of the patients are from Barangay Villamonte, four in Mansilingan, three in Barangay Singcang, two in Pahanocoy, and one each from barangays Mandalagan, 12, Vista Alegre, Taculing, and Handumanan.
Sorongon added that these cases were post-holiday transmission, and he believed came from residents who stayed in Manila during the Christmas season and returned home to Bacolod after the New Year.
The EOC is reminding the public to observe the minimum health protocols since the virus is very contagious. The public is advised against public gatherings and to always wear face mask and regularly wash or sanitize their hands.
Bacolod has 72 fresh COVID cases, as of Feb. 1, but 91 persons were notified in advance that they will be isolated since their swab results also turned positive. — MML
