Fight vs COVID-19: Lapu-Lapu City claims victory

CEBU, Philippines —  Lapu-Lapu City is winning in the fight against COVID-19, at least for now, according to Mayor Junard Chan, himself a survivor of the disease.

Graphs of daily reported cases are decreasing and graphs of daily reported recoveries are increasing.

“Sayod ako nga sayo pa para mosulti niini pero dako ang akong pagsalig nga maayo ang dagan sa sitwasyon sa COVID-19 sa atong syudad,” Chan wrote on Facebook.

(I know it’s early to tell but I trust that our situation in the city is getting better.)

In his post, Chan showed two graphs – one of daily reported COVID cases and another is of daily recovery rates.

The graphs showed figures from May until August 2020.

“Inyung makita sa unang graph nga paubos ang numero sa kompirmadong nag positibo, bisan pa man sa nagkasaka nga numero sa mga ni-undergo og swab testing tungod sa doble natong paningkamot sa contact tracing,” mayor stated.

(You will see in the first graph that our number of positive cases is going down despite more residents are undergoing the swab test in line with our strengthened effort in contact tracing.)

The graph showed a rising trend until it reached more than a hundred reported cases last June 28.

After that day, the graph drastically went up and down although the highest number was less than 100 cases, until July 17, when the lowest number of cases was below 25.

After that day, the graph fluctuated again with the highest number was below 50. It went further down last July 31 to around 10 cases.

The graph still fluctuated after that day despite the highest being below 25 and the lowest was below 10 cases.

“Inyo usab makita sa ikaduhang graph nga nagkasaka usab ang numero sa mga naka-recover sa maong sakit,” Chan added.

(You will also see in the second graph that we have more people recovering.)

The graph for recovery rates showed less than 10 patients recovered on May 22. This went up to more than 20 cases last June 20 and climbed further up to more than 25 last June 27.

Recovery rates further climbed to more than 75 cases last July 15, and on July 25, reached the highest, so far, at nearly 100. 

As of August 8, data from the Department of Health-7 showed that the city has 1,956 total reported cases with 1,173 recoveries. Seventy-three have died but none was recorded on that day. Lapu-Lapu has 710 active cases with eight new cases recorded on that day.

“Ang kalampusan nga atong nakab-ot karon atong gipahinungod sa tanang frontliners sama sa atong mga doctors, nurses, mga sakop sa DRRMO, sa atong city health office, sa mga kapulisan, Navy, BFP, Army, volunteers, mga private groups, barangay workers ug daghan pa,” Chan said. 

(We dedicate the success we have, so far, to our frontliners – doctors, nurses, members of DRRMO, our city health office, policemen, navy, firefighters, army, volunteers, barangay workers, and even the private groups that helped.) — JMO (FREEMAN)