By Philippine Muslim Today News

LOW RISK. Bangsamoro Health Minister Bashary Latiph tells reporters BARMM has remained "low risk" at a press conference on Tuesday in Cotabato City. (Supplied photo)

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has remained a "low risk" in the country, the region's top health official announced this week as he urged the public to continue observing the state-required safety or preventive protocols for their own sake and the nation.

In a report from the BARMM's Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO), Regional Health Minister Dr. Bashary Latiph said his ministry has recorded as of Aug. 17 recorded a total of 9,706 cases or less than 1% of the Philippines' total cases at 1.756 million cases.

The figure simply indicated that the 31-month old region belongs to the country's "low risk" areas in the coronavirus pandemic that appeared increasing with the appearances of variants, Dr. Latiph said, adding though that the Ministry of Health (MOH) would not be complacent in dealing with the viral threats.

As of Monday, August 16, the MOH has recorded 11 fresh cases, which makes the total active cases at 454 – five in Maguindanao, four in this city, and two on combined Lanao del Sur and Marawi City, Latiph said in the BIO statement on the proceedings of a press conference here on Tuesday.

Monday's tally also showed 28 additional recoveries that brought to total recoveries at 8,879, or 91.48 percent of the region's total cases.

"Tayo po dito sa BARMM ay nananatili pa ring low-risk," Dr. Latiph noted.

Comparatively, BARMM stands with the least cases of Covid-19 across the country's 17 regions, a BIO statement said, showing the neighboring Soccsksargen (Region 12), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Davao Region (Region 11) and Northern Mindanao (Region 10) having posted more than 30,000 cases or higher.

But Minister Latiph urged the public to "not lower their guards" against the pandemic.

"Let us continue observing the minimum health standards such as wearing of masks, face shields, social distancing; constant hand-washing, and  avoiding unnecessary social gatherings," Dr. Latiph said in Filipino.

He said the government vaccination continues in the region, adding that BARMM healthcare workers have already administered 301,619 vaccinations.

Some 192,000 individuals across several priority groups were already fully vaccinated; 131,817 of them received the single dose Janssen vaccine, Latiph said.

The region's 23,273 frontline healthcare workers, including medicine, nursing, and midwifery students, were already inoculated with their first dose, and 19,571 of them were fully vaccinated, he added.

"We in the Ministry of Health remain steadfast in delivering possible services coupled with medical supplies to fulfill our duties in keeping our constituents away from health adversities the best we can," Dr. said.

On the amount of vaccines received in BARMM through the MOH, Latiph said, his ministry has recorded 470,800 doses of Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna vaccines. ALI G. MACABALANG

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