Mayor Evelio Leonardia is set to issue a new executive order regulating various outdoor activities this holy week after the city has recorded 33 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, March 29, according to a bulletin released by the Department of Health in Western Visayas.
Of the 33, 91% are local cases, bringing the currently active cases to 198. This also represents a growth rate of 24.14% in the last 5 to 6 weeks.
According to Leonardia this is the highest case so far after the city managed to significantly lower the case count in February to as low as 24.
Leonardia finds this sudden spike of cases concerning due to increase in hospital bed utilization. This is aside from the fact that several medical practitioners were also hit by the virus which impacts hospital care management, the mayor added.
In a video message published last night on Bacolod City PIO FB page, the mayor also ordered the closure of the NGC Grounds for public gatherings. He is also set to issue an executive order regulating gatherings in various beach resorts in Bacolod, especially on Easter Sunday.
Leonardia will also craft measures for coffee shops operating in Brgy. Alangilan. Numerous coffee shops have pop-up in the said barangay after it became a destination for most bikers and families who wants to be away from the city.
With this development, he also reminded the public to limit gatherings to their immediate family members only.
The mayor stressed that he is putting these measures in place to prevent the possible scenario where Bacolod will go back to its previous quarantine status. Bacolod will remain under Modified General Community Quarantine until end of April based on the latest announcement from Malacañang.
