CDO welcomes easing to GCQ

MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro City has been classified as at ”moderate risk” in terms of the number and handling of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, based on data and analytics from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of  Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which placed the city under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Mayor Oscar Moreno welcomed the IATF findings, noting that scientific data and analytics validate that the city’s COVID-19 response strategy based on active surveillance, isolation and non-pharmaceutical interventions had been effective.

“IATF data analysis shows that our combined and coordinated efforts in arresting the spread of COVID-19 has so far worked and is being recognized,” Moreno said.

 The IATF analytics measured case doubling time, critical care utilization rate and COVID-19 cases threshold per population size.

 “With seven positive cases, CDO’s COVID-19 infections are less than half of the threshold for highly urbanized cities,” Moreno said.

The IATF pegged the threshold for highly urbanized cities at 15 cases.

“We are working hard to ensure that we stay within those parameters,” Moreno said.