BACOLOD CITY - The Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) here has reiterated its call for residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

This, after data presented by the EOC, as of this writing, showed that the current figure on COVID-19 deaths stands at 122 against 76 at the end of September 30, 2020.

City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, concurrent EOC executive director and COVID-19 Vaccination Council (CoVaC) coordinator, said the number of deaths this year as of September 28, 2021 almost doubled.

“We are averaging 109 infections daily,” Ang said, as she noted that those experiencing severe COVID-19 cases in hospitals are those who remain unvaccinated.

According to City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., the highest spread of cases and severe outcomes is happening in places with low vaccination rates, and virtually all hospitalizations and deaths have been among the unvaccinated.

To illustrate the seriousness of the situation, Dr. Rosalie Deocampo, EOC deputy for contact-tracing cluster, shared that on Sept. 25, Bacolod had 140 infections, 90 of which were household transmissions, while 36 cases were of unknown origin.

Of the same total, she said, 75 were classified as new cases, while 65 were close contacts.

Six were infected at their workplace, 7 from gatherings or meetings outside of their household and 1 prison infection.

The following day, Sept. 26, the city had 133 cases; 69 of which were new infections and 64 were close contacts, Deocampo said.

Of the 133, some 92 cases were household infections, 41 were outside transmissions, 3 from the workplace, 36 were not known and 2 from hospital infections.

On Sept. 27, Deocampo disclosed that there were 151 cases, of which 60 were new cases, while 91 were close contacts.

“COVID spreads right in our own homes,” Deocampo said, pointing out that on September 27, about 110 were household transmissions, 41 originated from outside, 27 were not known, 2 from workplace, 3 from gatherings or meetings, 4 from hospital, 1 from dialysis center and 3 from prison.

This continued rise in cases is happening despite the city’s round-the-clock efforts to give COVID-19 jabs.

Meanwhile, Ang also lamented that many residents have become vulnerable to "fake news" that they read on various social media platforms that says that those who got the vaccine will become zombies.

“These false claims and fake news, add up to people's hesitancy to get the vaccine,” she said.