27% of COVID-19 cases seen in ”emerging hotspots” in last two weeks

June 25, 2020

Twenty-seven percent of  coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were seen in areas identified as "emerging hotspots" in the last two weeks, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on the DOH COVID-19 Tracker, as of June 24, a total of 1,475 out of the 5,416 COVID-19 cases in Cebu City, Cebu province, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Samar were reported in the past two weeks.

In Cebu City, 913 (21 percent) out of the 4,216 COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 2 weeks.

A total of 349 (37 percent) out of the 935 cases in Cebu province also emerged only in the last 14 days.

On late Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire identified the two cities and four provinces as "emerging hotspots" for COVID-19.

Vergeire said while Cebu City has the biggest number of cases in the country, the other five areas saw sharp increase in recent days.

"In absolute numbers, it remains Cebu City, which contributes most to the increase in cases. The other areas are emerging hotspots, not because of a large increase in numbers, but because of the appearance of cases when there was none previously," said Vergeire in an interview.

Asked for the cause of spike in these areas, Vergeire  said the DOH is "analyzing the drivers of the transmission".

Vergeire said they will give more attention to the ''emerging hotspots'' to prevent cases  from ballooning. DMS