Zambo Covid cases up again

ZAMBOANGA CITY Mayor Beng Climaco has cautioned residents following the sudden spike in the number of active Covid-19 cases here and ordered stricter health protocols on the entry of travellers effective Wednesday.

Climaco, citing local health records, said the Covid-19 cases now is over 130 from just under 100 in December. “With the increasing trend in cases in the city and elsewhere in the country, the public is urged anew to continue practicing minimum health standards and to get vaccinated the soonest possible time,” she said. 

The increase in Covid-19 infections occurred after the Yuletide holidays when the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) eased the country’s quarantine protocols which allowed people to move freely only to recall the order following the dramatic spike in Covid-19 cases - believed due to the Omicron variant - in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces. 

Top: A health worker from the Zamboanga City government injects a Covid-19 vaccine to a woman at the Unibersidad de Zamboanga. (Image: Al Jacinto)

A scene at the Unibersidad de Zamboanga during the last hour of the Zamboanga City Health Office vaccination drive for walk-in residents. (Image: Al Jacinto)

The mayor, who heads the local IATF-MEID, said due to the threat of Omicron variant, all travellers entering Zamboanga City whether vaccinated or not must present a negative RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test results if they come from high-risk areas or those places under Alert Levels 3, 4 and 5.  Zamboanga City is currently under Alert Level 2. 

She said fully vaccinated travellers who come from areas with high alert levels also need to present their identification and vaccine cards, including their S-PASS short for Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage Digital Travel Management System. And for fully vaccinated travellers coming from areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 only need to present their identification and vaccines cards, and S-PASS. 

“All the requirements shall be presented to the border personnel upon arrival. Inbound travellers, regardless of vaccination status, may be subjected to random Rapid Antigen testing upon entry through the airport, seaport or land borders,” Climaco said. 

The IAT-MEID imposed the new community quarantine classifications across the country in November last year. 

The following are the Alert Level System for Covid-19 response: Alert Level 1 refers to areas wherein case transmission is low and decreasing, total bed utilization rate, and intensive care unit utilization rate is low. Alert Level 2 refers to areas wherein case transmission is low and decreasing, healthcare utilization is low, or case counts are low but increasing, or case counts are low and decreasing but total bed utilization

rate and intensive care unit utilization rate is increasing. Alert Level 3 refers to areas wherein case counts are high and/or increasing, with total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at increasing utilization.

Alert Level 4 refers to areas wherein case counts are high and/or increasing, with total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at high utilization. And Alert Level 5 refers to areas ase counts are alarming, with total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at critical utilization. (Zamboanga Post)