But Duque warns against complacency
OVER two years since the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday said government has contained the virus.
In an online media forum, Duque said he is convinced that the Philippines has successfully controlled the spread of the virus, which hit countries worldwide in March 2020, “given our measures and interventions.”
“It appears to be contained already. Data will support this claim,” Duque said.
But the health secretary said Filipinos should still not be complacent because of the unpredictability of the virus and its capability to undergo mutations.
“We are realistic to accept the fact that this virus is notorious for mutations. It is capable of springing surprises… The challenge here is the unpredictability of the virus. You cannot predict what kind of mutation it will have,” said Duque.
Because of this, Duque urged the next administration to be prepared in case the situation turns for the worse.
“This is one piece of advice that I would like to get across with the next administration: Despite the current stage of the pandemic right now, we must always be prepared for the worst scenario. That is very important,” he said.
He said the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should also carefully study proposals to already lift the state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I hope they will really take time to study and to look at the metrics and what new information and science offer in terms of the evolving variants of concern,” he said, even as he cautioned that such a decision must not be hastily done and not without banking on scientific data.
‘SLIGHT CONCERN’
As Duque made the assessment, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David yesterday raised a “slight concern” over the continued increase in COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila after the daily average cases in the region went up by 14 percent, or an average of 90 cases per day.
David, during the Laging Handa public briefing, pointed out that the daily average cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) was at 10 percent on Tuesday with 79 cases, but went up to 14 percent with 90 cases per day on Wednesday.
“Kapag titingnan natin iyong seven-day average, actually kahapon (Tuesday), iyong 10 percent, ngayon ay 14 percent na. So, umabot na tayo sa 90 cases per day sa Metro Manila (If we look at the seven-day average, actually it was at 10 percent as of Tuesday, now it rose to 14 percent with 90 cases per day in Metro Manila),” David said, noting that the DOH has previously reported 63 cases per day.
He also said that Metro Manila’s current reproduction number remained at 1.25 and the positivity rate at 1.6 percent.
“Hindi pa naman iyon mataas pero nandiyan iyong may slight concern na iyon nga kasi bahagyang tumataas kada linggo ang mga bilang ng kaso sa Metro Manila (It is not yet high but there is a slight concern because cases in Metro Manila increase every week),” he said.
David also said that OCTA has noted an increase in COVID-19 cases in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Western Visayas, but these have not been consistent.
David said the uptick in cases does not warrant a stricter or higher alert level in the region especially since its classification remains at low risk.
He said factors that could have contributed to the uptrend in cases are public complacency, waning immunity, and the entry of subvariants.
“Paalala: Maganda ang sitwasyon natin sa COVID, mababa ang cases na nakikita natin since February pero nandyan pa din ang virus kaya hindi dapat maging kampante (Reminder: The COVID situation is good, the cases have been low since February but the virus is still there so we should not be complacent),” he said.
“Ipagpatuloy natin ang pagsunod sa health standards, ipatuloy pagsusuot ng mask, pagpapabakuna at pagpapa-booster. Mapipigilan natin ang surge kung magtutulong-tulong tayo (Let us continue to follow health standards and continue to wear masks, get vaccinated, get boosters. We can prevent a surge if we help each other),” he added. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
