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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 22) – The city of Baguio will go ahead with its plan to accept tourists from other regions in Luzon despite a recent spike in new coronavirus cases, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said on Thursday.
“It will not change our plan to open up to tourists. In fact, we are scheduled to formally open it tomorrow, ”Magalong told CNN Philippines New Day about opening the Baguio gates to up to 200 visitors from Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon starting Friday, subject to protocols.
The summer capital received tourists from the Ilocos region for the first time on October 1 to revive the local economy.
‘Aggressive’ measures
Magalong said they continue to be “really aggressive” in terms of testing and increasing their isolation capacity by adding more beds in the facility, as well as tracing contacts to prevent the disease from spreading further in the city.
“In fact, next October 26, 27 and 28 we will do a marathon test that will be 1,000 per day. At present, we are doing around 400-500 per day, on average. That includes the combination of antigen and RT-PCR, ”said the mayor.
He also said that they are beginning to see a decrease in the number of new infections.
A team of researchers, who monitor and assess COVID-19 trends in the country, previously labeled the city of Baguio as one of the high-risk areas due to an increase in new infections from October 11 to 17, a alarming attack rate and a decrease. hospital capacity to house patients.
READ: Experts point to Makati, Baguio, Mandaluyong as high-risk areas for COVID-19
OCTA Research said the City of Pines has a 69% hospital occupancy rate as of October 16 and posted an attack rate of 11.1%, the proportion of those who became ill after their exposure to the virus.
Magalong said that one of the reasons his health care facilities are close to being filled is because some patients from outside Baguio cannot refuse, noting that many of them are in critical condition.
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