DOH: Coronavirus crisis far from over, but there is improvement

Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday that though the “doubling time” of the coronavirus spread slowed down, still the COVID-19 crisis in the country was far from over.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the “doubling time” of the virus has slowed down, from three days to five days, which was regarded as “marked improvement.”

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“Ang sabi ng mga eksperto, bumabagal na ang doubling time. Ibig sabihin kung dati, sa loob ng tatlong araw dumodoble ang mga kaso, ngayon ay mas matagal na ito, halos limang araw na ang average,” Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing.

(According to the experts, the doubling time is slowing down. It means that if before it takes only three days for the cases to double, now it is longer. It is now almost five days in an average.)

Vergeire, however, said the government aims to make the COVID-19 doubling time to 30 days.

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Metro Manila has the highest number of confirmed cases

Vergeire, meanwhile, reported that the virus infection was primarily concentrated in Metro Manila, which is about 70% or 4,600 COVID-19 patients.

“While there are cases in other areas in the country, there are around 30 provinces which do not have cases or the rate of increase is slow,” she said.

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She emphasized that the public should not be complacent on the said improvement as they were not permanent, just like what is happening to Singapore, which experienced a second wave of infection after its supposed containment of the virus.

“We have seen how treacherous the coronavirus can be, especially if the public has forgotten to practice physical distancing, frequent hand-washing, cough etiquette, and cleaning of surfaces. So we should not be complacent,” Vergeire said.

Also read: 43 RITM staff test positive for COVID-19

Bong Go inclined to extend lockdown in Metro Manila

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said he was more inclined to recommend Metro Manila lockdown extension as the number of COVID-19 cases in NCR continues to increase.

Bong Go, who is Duterte’s longtime aid and now head of the Senate health committee, also agrees with the other senators’ recommendation on easing the restrictions in other Luzon provinces with lesser coronavirus cases.

“As a senator, I’m in favor of extending the [lockdown] in the [National Capital Region] because of the increasing [coronavirus] cases. We really have to contain [the rate of transmission] because our health-care system may not be enough if this worsened,” Go said in a video message.

“In other provinces, it could be lifted and converted to a modified community quarantine. What’s important is to make sure that Filipinos will be able to eat [regularly] because that’s the reason why they are going outside their homes,” Go said.