BY GERARD NAVAL and RAYMOND AFRICA
THE Department of Health on Wednesday said the country is on the second wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak but it can be considered as the first major surge in cases.
In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said current epidemiological data showed the first wave occurred in January when the first three COVID-19 cases were reported, while the second wave was when thousands of cases were reported in March.
“In technical or epidemiological terms, we are already considered as being in the second wave. The first wave was a minor one back in January, wherein we had three cases and it was the peak already,” said Vergeire.
“But for us regular people, what counts would be the major wave. Hence, we are on our first major wave. The peak was last March 31, where we had 538 cases,” she added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told a Senate hearing that country is now on the second wave of COVID-19 infections.
He said the first wave started in January when the country recorded its first three “imported” COVID-19 cases, referring to the individuals who came from Wuhan, China.
The second wave, he said, started in March with patient No. 4. But he said the curve has flattened.
Vergeire also said the country has been able to stem the wave.
“We have been flattening the curve in this current major wave with the cases ‘only’ averaging 220 cases in the past five weeks,” she said.
Nevertheless, Vergeire reiterated the health department’s warning to the public to remain vigilant as she said threat of another wave remains with community quarantine rules being relaxed.
“Most importantly, we need to prevent whichever wave is forthcoming, if it’s the second major wave or third (epidemiological) wave, and whatever kind of surge in cases,” said Vergeire.
13,000-MARK
The number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to increase and has breached the 13,000-mark.
The Department of Health reported 279 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total of 13,221 COVID-19 cases; five new fatalities, or total of 842; and 89 more patients who have recovered from the infection, or a total of 2,932 recoveries.
The disease emerged in China late last year and has spread to 216 countries and territories. It has infected 4,735,622 persons and killed 316,289 individuals worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Among Filipinos abroad, 24 more were infected, bringing the total to 2,455; four died, or a total of 284; and nine new recoveries, or a total of 858.
“Despite the decrease in the daily rate of recoveries reported by our foreign service posts today, the total number of overseas Filipinos who recovered from COVID-19 at 858 cases is now three times more than the total fatalities at 284 and comprises almost 35% of the total confirmed cases,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Consul General Gina Jamoralin of the Philippine consulate in Chicago, Illinois said 17 Filipino Americans in Illinois and Michigan have died of COVID-19.
Interviewed over “Laging Handa” public briefing, she said there are 42 COVID cases in the US Midwest, half of whom are medical frontline workers.
“Right now in Illinois, we have more than 90,000 cases. Illinois ranked third in the number of cases in the whole Unites States, after New Jersey and New York. Unfortunately, half of those deaths are from our healthcare workers,” she said.
Jamoralin, however, said things are starting to look better as Illinois moved on to Phase 2 of a five-phase meant to restore normalcy in public life.
“Right now, Illinois was able to do a lot of testing. Earlier the goal was to have 10,000 tests per day and at this moment, they were able to do more than 10,000 testing per day, so, that’s a milestone as far as Illinois is concerned. We are now on Phase 2 which is, they are flattening the curve,” she said
On the general living conditions of Filipinos while under lockdown, she said Fil-Am families have heeded the state government’s call for them to stay indoors to avoid an infection.
“Filipinos are staying home except, of course, the frontliners and the essential services. The bayanihan spirit here in the Midwest is alive. While many were affected, many of them have done a lot of good things like donating food, milk, teas to the front liners in many Midwest states,” she said.
Jamoralin also reassured Filipinos that Chicago does not discriminate when people ask for assistance.
“If you are an immigrant, you are undocumented, you know, if you want to, you can always find assistance. You can go to a food bank or you can get free testing. The city of Chicago is really doing a lot for the immigrants, not only for the Filipinos but also for the Latino group, for the other ethnic minorities,” she said. — With Ashzel Hachero and Peter Tabingo
