CoViD-19 Data Serves as La Union's Tool to Fight Pandemic
By: Camille R. Bumatay, PIO | Photos By: Wendell Tangalin, PIO | Date: May 6, 2021
Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III highlights the importance of efficient data management in the province’s fight against the CoViD-19 Pandemic as the members of the Provincial Core Team Against COVID-19 (PCTAC) reported updates during their virtual meeting on May 6, 2021.
As of May 5, 2021, out of the 353 isolation beds of the hospitals in the province, 49% is currently occupied. While there are 154 admissions in the Local CoViD-19 Centers (LCCs) with 37 LSIs, 6 close contacts, 9 suspects and 102 confirmed positive cases. The LCCs have 26.23% occupancy rate, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) Home of Hope in Sevilla, City of San Fernando has 41.67 occupancy rate while the PGLU Home of Hope in Acao, Bauang has no admission at present and is undergoing extensive disinfection.
Gov. Pacoy explained that accurate data gathering will aid the PGLU in managing its resources in a more efficient manner.
Also reported in the meeting was the expanded mass testing in the province with 4.76% positivity rate which is much lower than the national positivity rate which is over 10%.
One of the notable points in the meeting showed that there is still a room for improvement in terms of contact tracing wherein the proposed gap solution is to tap some of the 60 project-based nurses (PBN) of PLGU and DepEd nurses to serve as contact tracers.
The PGLU is targeting to assign two PBNs in each municipality and four PBNs in the City of San Fernando. Four PBNs were also assigned to each CoViD-19 Facility - District Hospitals and six for the La Union Medical Center.
The Daily Attack Rate of the province is at 2.72 new cases per 100,000 population while the two-week growth rate is at -76.33% indicating that La Union is at low epidemic risk level or Modified General Community Quarantine.
In terms of the CoViD-19 vaccination in the province, 62.76% of the total eligible population group A1 have already been immunized while 4.29% of the eligible population under A2, La Union being the only province in Region 1 that has started with the priority group A2.
“Public service is about trust…I appreciate the work of everyone and I am just here if you need me,” said Gov. Pacoy in his message.
