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MANILA - COVID-19 cases in Central Visayas are "slowly increasing," the regional health department said Monday.

The upward trend in cases began during the last week of May, said Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, head of Department of Health-Central Visayas.

"Slowly, hinay-hinay po siya tumaas until po ngayon, up to the first week of July," she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(The number of cases slowly increased until now, up to the first week of July.)

Some 80 percent of coronavirus patients are asymptomatic, she added.

Cañal attributed the rise to virus mutation and increased transmissibility and the non-observance of minimum health protocols.

"The most misconception na nakikita po natin or naririnig natin sa mga kababayan natin, 'Vaccinated ako, okay lang na pagala-gala na ako.' That should not be the case po," she said.

"Hindi po natin mabe-blame sa LGUs kasi all the LCEs have put their best foot forward in terms of controlling the spread of the virus. It has to come from the public, individual and community as well, dapat i-own up po ang (they should own up their) responsibility."

(We cannot blame this on local government units because all the local chief executives have put their best foot forward in terms of controlling the spread of the virus.)

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The region as of Saturday has a total of 79,955 COVID-19 cases, with 2,973 active infections, according to the DOH website.

Of the total active cases, 695 were from Bohol, 672 from Cebu City, 663 from Negros Oriental, 520 from Cebu, 262 from Lapu-Lapu City, 146 from Mandaue City, and 15 from Siquijor, DOH data showed.