By Mike Crismundo
BUTUAN CITY - The number of suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Caraga region has risen to 53, as of late Tuesday afternoon, according to the Department of Health (DOH) COVID-19 tracker.
Of the suspected cases in the region, 28 were still confined at various hospitals in the region for close monitoring and observation, while the rest were already discharged and cleared of the virus. Of the confined cases, 10 have pending COVID-19 test results, and one for specimen collection.
DOH13-Center for Health Development (CHD) COVID-19 tracker recorded three confirmed COVID-19 cases – all are from this region’s premier and capital city of Butuan.
The COVID-19 Caraga tracker indicated that the region’s capital, Butuan City continued to have the highest number of suspected cases at 32, followed by Agusan del Norte of 8 suspected cases, cities of Bayugan and Tandag with two cases each, and one case each from the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, while 2 suspected cases in Agusan del Sur, Cabadbaran City 4 suspected cases and one in Bislig City.
Meanwhile, Butuan City Mayor Engr. Ronnie Vicente C. Lagnada on Wednesday appealed to Butuanons to follow all the health protocols implemented by the inter-agency task force.
The city chief executive already issued Executive Order No. 7 placing Butuan City under general community quarantine (GCQ) except for the 50 urban barangays which will remain under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
“Our main objective here is for the safety of our constituents and I am appealing to everybody to follow all the health protocols in an effort to stop the spread of this deadly virus,” stressed Lagnada.
The city chief executive urged Butuanons to stay at home if you have no important matter to go out, except for frontliners.
“Huwag na muna kayong lumabas kong wala kayong kailangan sa labas, please stay safe always,” Lagnada added.
Butuan City remained to have only three confirmed COVID-19 cases to date.