Stricter lockdown if cases surge anew: Duterte
BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and Gerard Naval
PRESIDENT Duterte on Monday night warned he will put provinces or regions under “stricter” lockdown if the country experiences a resurgence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
Duterte’s warning was followed by a report yesterday from the Department of Health that said COVID-19 infections in the Visayas and Mindanao are starting to rise.
In his Talk to the People address that was aired only yesterday, the President again urged the public to observe health protocols and follow stay-home orders to shield themselves from catching the coronavirus, as he noted reports of increasing number of cases from the more infectious COVID-19 variants that have been detected in the country.
“And if you, hindi ninyo sinusunod (ang mga health protocols), and may resurgence na naman, tapos may new variants pa, eh mapipilitan talaga akong mag-impose ng lockdown, maybe stricter this time because hindi natin alam kung anong variants iyan (And if you do not follow [health protocols] and there is a resurgence… there are also already new variants… I will be forced to impose a lockdown that will be stricter this time because we do not know what variants they are),” he said.
He said that while he is personally against the imposition of lockdowns because these contribute to the hardship that many families are already going through, he will be compelled to do it to ensure the protection of majority of the people.
“For as long as the COVID-19 is here, and it will take a lot of time before it finally disappears, if at all, and with the advent of new variants, it is good to prepare for a more serious attack,” he said.
The President noted that restricting people to their homes have contributed to the improvement of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the NCR Plus, citing the report of the Department of Health that there has been a sharp drop in cases in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal following the imposition of the March 29 to April 11 enhanced community quarantine and the April 12 to May 14 modified ECQ in the NCR Plus.
The NCR Plus is under “heightened” GCQ until the end of the month.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, in a briefing yesterday, said local government units have not stopped implementing granular or localized lockdowns in their jurisdictions regardless of their quarantine classifications.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said granular or localized lockdowns are implemented down to the barangay levels.
Duque asked other government agencies such as the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Trade and Industry to help in ensuring that minimum health protocols and quarantine restrictions are followed.
“The increased mobility comes with more freedom and we should be strict in implementing the minimum public health standards in the local governments, the workplaces and commercial establishments. We call on the DILG, DTI and DOLE so as not to waste what we have started under ECQ and MECQ,” he said.
DOH – Epidemiology Bureau (EB) Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman, in a virtual press briefing, said that even as cases are beginning to subside in the NCR Plus, eight of the nine regions in Visayas and Mindanao have been seeing an increase in infections.
“In the Visayas and Mindanao, there is an upward trend in cases. It is not rapid but there is an increase,” said De Guzman.
In the Visayas, DOH data shows growth in cases in Western Visayas at 19percent, and Eastern Visayas at 13 percent.
The average daily attack rates in the two regions have also rose from 3.78 to 4.48 in Western Visayas, and from 1.38 to 1.56 in Eastern Visayas.
Data also indicates that the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) in Western Visayas Visayas is already at 45 percent, while Eastern Visayas is at 25 percent.
In Mindanao, statistics show growth in cases in Zamboanga Peninsula (49%), Northern Mindanao (88%), Davao Region (79%), Soccsksargen (89%), Caraga (60%), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (77%).
The average daily attack rates in the Mindanao regions are also rising from 4.09 to 6.10 in Zamboanga Peninsula, from 1.80 to 3.37 in Northern Mindanao, from 1.11 to 2 in Davao Region, from 1.32 to 2.49 in Soccsksargen, from 2.24 to 3.59 in Caraga, and from 0.72 to 1.27 in BARMM.
The HCUR levels are 75 percent in Zamboanga Peninsula, 43 percent in Northern Mindanao, 34 percent in Davao Region, 31 percent in Soccsksargen, 42 percent in Caraga, and 31 percent in BARMM.
Aside from the Visayas and Mindanao regions, the DOH also reported a surge in the southern parts of Luzon.
DOH data shows growth in cases in Mimaropa (20%) and in the Bicol Region (1%).
The average daily attack rates in the two regions are also rising from 3.01 to 3.62 in Mimaropa, and from 2.11 to 2.12 in Bicol Region.
The HCUR in Mimaropa is currently at 48 percent, while Bicol Region is at 33 percent.
De Guzman noted how the surge in cases in the said regions are mostly in highly-urbanized areas.
“This means we need to intensify our adherence to minimum public health standards. We need to avoid crowded areas and lessen our exposure to one another,” stressed De Guzman.
Asked if such increases warrant the shift in quarantine classifications, De Guzman answered in the negative.
“The rationale is even if we are seeing case increases, if our healthcare capacity can accommodate the case increase, we don’t need to increase the quarantine restrictions,” she explained, adding: “For now, we don’t see the need, we don’t see such a scenario in these areas.”
As for the NCR Plus area, the DOH – EB noted the continuous downward trend in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite.
“We can see that the epidemic curve, which peaked in April, is continuously decreasing.
The number of people getting ill in a week is much less now,” said De Guzman.
In the NCR, she noted that the average daily cases is currently at 1,417, as compared to its peak number of 5,325. De Guzman, however, said their target is to bring the number down to 431, which is the average number in January and February.
For the four neighboring provinces of NCR, the DOH noted that the average daily cases is at 1,070, which is lower than its peak number of 2,203.
De Guzman said their goal in the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite is to bring it lower to 197, which is the average cases in January and February.
The Department of Interior and Local Government yesterday deployed 63 nurses from the Bureau of Fire Protection to augment public and private hospitals in the NCR.
The 63 nurses came from BFP units outside NCR and will be assigned in 12 NCR hospitals for an initial period of three months, the DILG said.
“The BFP’s Nurse Deployment Program is a great example of bayanihan,” said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
“Given the need of nurses in many hospitals in NCR, we are proud to temporarily assign our firefighter nurses to different hospitals where they are urgently needed,” Año also said.
Año said the deployment of the nurses was the offshoot of a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the DILG, BFP, the Department of Health and the 12 hospitals.
Nine of the 63 BFP nurses will be assigned to Las Piñas Doctors Hospital and eight will be sent to the MCU-FDT Medical Foundation Hospital in Caloocan City, the DILG said.
Four will be assigned to San Juan Medical Center in San Juan City, six to Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila City, four to Providence Hospital in Quezon City, five to St. Clare’s Medical Center in Makati City, seven each to The Premier Medical Center and UHBI Parañaque Doctors Hospital, both in Parañaque City, three each for Gen. Miguel Malvar Medical Research Foundation in Quezon City and Holylife Hospital in Pasig City, four to Novaliches District Hospital in Quezon City, and three to Ospital ng Tondo in Manila.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the 63 is part of 120 BFP nurses who volunteered to be deployed to NCR hospitals. He said the 57 others will deployed if the need arises.
“Many of the nurses assigned to the hospitals are already dead-tired from their never-ending duties since the pandemic began. The deployment of the BFP nurses will allow them to take a short break to rest and recharge,” said Malaya.
Malaya said the deployment of the nurses will not affect the operation of the BFP, noting the fire bureau has a total of 5,034 nurses. — With Victor Reyes
