Solon pleads for more vaccines as Cagayan de Oro COVID cases rise

Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Friday appealed to the national government to immediately send more doses of vaccines against COVID-19 amid the rising number of infections in the city.

Rodriguez wrote separate letters to Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles regarding his request, after the OCTA Research Group reported that the city has logged a 75% rise in COVID cases.

"In view of this, may I request the IATF to allocate additional vaccines for Cagayan de Oro City on top of its normal allocation," Rodriguez said in a statement.

"I believe that with the additional Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived in the Philippines, it would not be difficult to allocate additional vaccines for Cagayan de Oro,” he added.

He said there were 71 new cases in the city last Wednesday and additional 52 on Thursday, bringing the cumulative total to more than 5,500.

Rodriguez also urged city health officials to determine where the new cases originated, tighten border controls, and enforce minimum health standards.

He also appealed for the public's cooperation as well help from the private sector in government efforts to fight the pandemic. —LBG, GMA News