DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 23 May) – Mindanao’s COVID-19 cases have reached 450 as of May 22, with the cities of Davao and Zamboanga accounting for 360 or 80%.
According to the Department of Health (DOH) in the Davao and Zamboanga Peninsula regions, Davao City recorded 218 cases and Zamboanga, 142.
The five regional offices of the DOH in Mindanao and the Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reported a total of 450 COVID-19 positives as of May 22, a leap of 60 new cases from 390 on May 15. The number of deaths rose from 40 to 41.
Region 11 (Davao region) accounted for the highest number of cases at 240 or 53.
3% of the Mindanao total, followed by Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) at 148 or 32.8%.
Region 12 (Soccsksargen) now has 23 cases (5.1%), Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) recorded 23 (5.1%), BARMM 12 (2.6%) and Caraga 4 (0.88%).
Nationwide, the total number of cases as of May 22 was 13,957. Mindanao’s 450 cases that day account for 3.22% of the national total.
More cases are expected to be reported in Mindanao as more state-owned hospitals this week have been given the green light to do confirmatory testing using the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines. Aside from the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City, the state-run medical centers in Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato are now capable of doing the test.
Of 240 cases in the Davao region as of May 22, Davao City tops with 218, Davao del Norte 14, Davao Oriental three, Davao de Oro two, Davao del Sur two and Davao Occidental one.
In the Zamboanga Peninsula, out of 148 cases, 142 are in Zamboanga City, mostly from the city jail, five are from Zamboanga del Sur and one from Zamboanga del Norte.
In Northern Mindanao, out of 23 cases, 10 are from Cagayan de Oro City, five from Misamis Occidental, four from Iligan City, two in Lanao del Norte, one in Camiguin and one in Bukidnon.
Out of 23 cases in Soccskargen, nine are from Cotabato City, five from North Cotabato, four from South Cotabato, three from Sultan Kudarat, one from General Santos and one from Sarangani.
In the Bangsamoro region, out of 12 cases, nine are from Lanao del Sur, two in Maguindanao and one from Sulu.
Caraga region has four cases – three in Butuan City and one in Surigao City. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
