DOH: COVID-19 now coming from ‘everywhere’

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A DAY after saying the surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases is “for real,” the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said the country is now experiencing “community transmission” as the novel virus is already coming from just about everywhere.

In a virtual press briefing, health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH is no longer able to identify where the virus is being transmitted from, unlike in the earlier part of the pandemic.

“Most of the cases we have now, we can no longer find any links… so we call it community transmission,” said Vergeire, adding: “The main factor in the rise in cases is mainly due to community transmission.”

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Vergeire also cited the lack of strict compliance to minimum health standards by the public as the reason why community transmission has become more widespread.

“You can see people on the streets not practicing physical distancing, some not using masks properly. These are the situations that the virus really wants in order to make us sick,” she said.

She, however, pointed that there are also some cases where the virus is being carried by specific sectors, among them repatriates or overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), locally stranded individuals, workers and those from closed institutions.

On Tuesday, the DOH said the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, wherein over 9,000 cases were reported over the last 5 days, is no longer artificial or borne out of testing backlogs.

And according to Vergeire, the surge in cases will continue to go up if people continue to disregard minimum health standards.

“We expect that cases will continue to rise as we open up because there is more contact between people and many are forgetting the minimum health protocols,” she said.

“We need to be more careful because, as of now, we can really see the lax in the enforcement of minimum health standards,” she also said.

President Duterte said he could not remove the “leash” that would further relax current quarantine restrictions in the country because doing so would only result in more “horrible” things.

The President, in a recorded message that was aired by government station PTV4 past midnight, said that while it is urgent to revive the economy, it should be done gradually to avoid a spike in COVID-19 cases similar to what happened to other countries that already reopened their economies.

“I’m sorry but I cannot really kumbaga bitawan ko kayo, I will remove the leash, leash iyung tali, pakawalaan na kayo kasi hindi ko kaya ang… the resultant happening or the resultant endgame that is too horrible to ponder (I’m sorry but I cannot really let you lose.

If I will remove the leash, the rope, and let you go because I already cannot [control you], the resultant happening or the resultant endgame, that will be too horrible to ponder),” he said.

Duterte said like everyone else, he too, already wants to go out, especially after the more than three months of lockdown in most parts of the country, but this has to be carefully thought out.

He said the decision of the government will continue to be based on “pure science” and not made out of mere guesses.

The President said quarantine levels all over the country is “dynamic” and can change everyday depending on the severity of the COVID-19 situation and the number of cases in an area, which he said is the reason why some areas are under the stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or the more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in the same event, said under the current assessment of the government, Cebu City remains to be the only area under the ECQ until July 15 due to its fast and high infection rate, and the high utilization of critical care systems in the city.

Duque also noted that the case doubling rate in Cebu City is less than seven days, the isolation bed utilization is already at 90.6 percent, while intensive care unit beds use is at 84.46.

He said he has already directed officials of Cebu City and other government agencies to step up on its containment strategies, particularly testing, isolation, contact tracing, and treatment to address the worsening situation in the city.

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Duque said that with the improved approach, he expects “a downward trend” in the number of cases in Cebu City when he reports next week on the status of the COVID-19 cases.

The President reiterated that the “nonchalant” attitude of Cebuanos during the critical days of the pandemic led to its current situation.

CALIBRATED

Duterte said that the opening of the economy will be calibrated and gradual to avoid a spike in Covid-19 infections, noting that other countries suffered a resurgence of cases after they hurriedly reopened their economies.

Duterte said the country is still grappling with the first wave of COVID-19 cases and cannot afford “thousands upon thousands of new cases” because it would leave the country in “deep s***” due to limited resources.”

“Ako mismo personal gusto ko nang lumabas. Ayaw ko nang magpapigil. But we have to be very circumspect in reopening of the economy. Dahan-dahan lang (I personally want to go out already. I do not want to be held back. But we have to be very circumspect in reopening the economy. It should be done gradually),” he said.

He also reiterated his call for everyone’s compliance to minimum health protocols and continued cooperation as he expressed confidence that the more advanced countries are nearing the development of vaccines or treatments for COVID-19.

The President, who believes that a new vaccine or medicine to cure coronavirus will be out by December this year, said he prefers “that we use the medicine to kill then, get a vaccine later on.”

JAIL FOR QUARANTINE VIOLATORS

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año urged local government units to come up with ordinances that would penalize and jail violators of quarantine protocols to ensure stricter compliance.

Año said some people, especially the “pasaway” or hard-headed ones, may need to learn their lessons through detention.

“We urge the mayors to pass ordinances and equally implement it including jailing all violators to teach them not to violate the rules. If everyone wears masks, observe physical distancing, and handwashing, we can avoid the spread of COVID virus 19,” he said.

Año also said the DILG is pursuing the filing of cases against local government officials who allowed public gatherings or events to proceed in their jurisdictions despite existing community quarantines.

He cited anew the case of some barangay officials in Cebu City where processions, fiestas and gambling in public happened were held despite very rigid stay-at-home orders. — With Jocelyn Montemayor

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