AFTER seeing a slowdown in cases, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said the country is nearing its goal of flattening the curve of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections.
“We have almost plateaued. However, we have yet to reach the stage of flattening the curve to the extent that we would have wanted it,” said Duque.
Duque said government’s confidence is anchored on the fact that the “doubling time” of cases is now 14 days. He noted the 3,000 cases recorded on April 5 doubled only on April 19, instead of the expected April 9.
“This is a proof that doubling time has, in fact, been prolonged, which is good,” said Duque.
The DOH reported 111 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. On Tuesday, there were 140 reported new cases, 200 on Monday, and 172 on Sunday.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Philippines has 6,710 COVID-19 cases, with nine new fatalities, for a total of 446 deaths, and 39 new cases of recoveries (total 693).
COVID-19, which was first reported in China in December last year, has spread to 213 countries and territories, according to the World Health Organization. It has infected some 2.4 million persons globally, and killed at least 163,097 as of Wednesday.
In Southeast Asia, the Philippines remained second on Wednesday among countries with COVID-19 cases. At first place is Singapore, while Malaysia is at third spot.
Duque said government will continue to exert efforts to flatten the curve and even get the number of cases to a downward trend.
“We have several more days to see if the plateau will reflect a beginning downtrend,” said Duque.
On Tuesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said experts have started seeing a slowdown in new COVID-19 cases.
FILIPINOS ABROAD
Six more Filipinos abroad have died of COVID-19, bringing total number of fatalities to 159, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The DFA said there were 30 new cases and 29 recoveries.
With these, the number of Filipinos in 42 countries who were infected with the virus has climbed to 1, 114, with 660 still undergoing treatment while 295 have recovered.
The Americas is still the most deadly place for Filipinos infected with COVID-19 with 88 deaths, followed by Europe with 54, the Middle East and Africa with 12, and Asia and the Pacific region with two.
Europe has the most cases among Filipinos abroad with 374. Asia and the Pacific was second with 299 cases followed by the Americas with 279 cases, and the Middle East and African regions with 162 cases.
JAILS
Twenty-four more inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the Quezon City Jail have been taken to an isolation area for possible COVID-19 infection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said.
BJMP spokesman Chief Insp. Xavier Solda said the isolation of the 24 brings to 41 the number of QC jail inmates currently confined at the BJMP isolation area in Payatas, also Quezon City.
Solda said the the 24 were brought to the isolation area sometime last week.
Solda also said they are verifying reports that two inmates from the Cebu City Jail have also tested positive for COVID-19.
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said 18 inmates from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, who tested positive for COVID-19, were transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa city on Tuesday.
BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag assured the public the inmates are housed in an isolated area inside the national penitentiary. He said an area inside the NBP reservation has been prepared to serve as isolation and quarantine area for inmates that may be infected with COVID-19.
The quarantine area called “Site Harry” is a walled compound with a 12-meter-high perimeter wall and is away from residential areas and prison cells, and was prepared with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“Site Harry is an ideal isolation and recovery area for PDL patients for its unique set-up which is easy to manage without compromising the security of the larger PDL community and safety of everyone,” he added. — With Ashzel Hachero and Victor Reyes
