Why include Batangas City in COVID-19 high risk areas, CHO asks research group

Batangas City – The city health office (CHO) is questioning the findings of the University of the Philippines – Octa Research Group, which included Batangas City among the list of the country’s COVID-19 high risk areas.

“It is unfair and unjust that Batangas City was tagged as such without informing us the results of their study,” says Dra. Rosanna Barrion in her letter to Mayor Beverly Dimacuha.

While she recognizes the expertise of the said research group, Barrion said it is prudent for them to inform authorities before releasing the information to the media.

Despite the CHO’s efforts and strategies for the previous eight months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barrion lamented Batangas City’s inclusion on the said list.

The city health officer argued that the Batangas Medical Center’s (BatMc) hospital occupancy cannot be used as basis for the study. BatMC is is a regional and DOH-retained hospital, while not all patients confined at the city’s five private hospitals “are from Batangas City.”

Since Batangas City has a big population, there’s a strong possibility that the city will have high number of COVID cases.

“If we use incidence rate as an indicator (for being a high risk area), there are other areas with higher incidence rate than Batangas City even if they have smaller population,” Barrion said, adding that Batangas City is third among four cities and sixth among the local government units in Batangas in terms of incidence rate.

Barrion likewise sought Mayor Dimacuha’s help to obtain copies of the results of UP Octa Research study for their reference.

In its latest report as of 5 pm, Saturday, the city health office said Batangas City has 2044 confirmed COVID cases, 211 active cases, 53 deaths and 1780 recoveries.

Statistics from the provincial health office said Batangas City has the most number of confirmed COVID cases in Batangas province.

Aside from Batangas City, the eight other COVID high risk areas identified by UP Octa Research Group from November 17 to 23 were Makati City, Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Lucena City, Lopez, Davao City and Zamboanga Del Sur.

Used as basis for the study were the number of covid cases per day, high positivity rate and high hospital occupancy.

About Jeremaiah Opiniano