City still at ‘low risk’ Covid status as Christmas Day nears

With Christmas Day just a few winks away, the Summer Capital continues to be at low risk (level 1) status in terms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases as of Dec. 12, this year, according to a local health official.

During the management committee meeting of local officials, Dec. 13, chaired by city administrator Engr. Bonifacio Dela Pena at City Hall, City Health Services Office (CHSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo  said the city’s positivity rate in the past two weeks decreased from 17 to 14.17 percent while its average daily attack rate dipped from 4.3/100,000 to 3.6/100,000.

Baguio’s two-week Covid-19 growth rate showed a slight increase from (-)31 to (-)28.30 percent while its weekly infection rate rose from 0.79 to 1.01 percent.

Galpo revealed that the city’s hospital critical utilization rate declined from 28.5 to 24.01 percent (91/379) while its isolation facility bed occupancy increased from 3.37 to 5.6 percent (15/267).

Meanwhile, the average RTPCR tests done in the city for the past two weeks decreased from 119 to 117 per day, she said.

Galpo echoed the call of Mayor Benjamin Magalong for everyone to continue adhering to minimum public health standards and have their vaccination and booster shots, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with co-morbidity. – Gaby B. Keith