The Department of Health (DOH) recommended implementing localized lockdowns in COVID-19 high-risk areas instead of stricter quarantine protocols, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.
The OCTA research team earlier urged the government to consider tightening quarantine protocols in Bauan in Batangas, Calbayog in Western Samar, and General Trias in Cavite since COVID-19 attack rates have increased there in the past week.
The report said that from October 4-11, the daily attack rate per 1,000 people in Bauan rose from 6.2% to 11.9%, in General Trias from 4.9% to 7.6%, and in Calbayog from 5.1% to 8%.
“The risk classification currently puts a premium on the safe opening of business establishments for socio-economic recovery. Hospital capacity or utilization rate is used as the main signal for escalation of community quarantine levels. Based on our October 12 data, these provinces still have enough hospital capacity to care for its patients. Therefore escalation of their quarantine levels is not warranted,” Duque said in a statement sent to GMA News Online.
“Instead, the respective LGUs of these provinces are recommended to implement localized lockdowns, immediate contact tracing and isolation of all contacts, and strict compliance to minimum health standards in areas with increasing case incidence,” Duque added.
Likewise, the DOH chief also assured the public that it would work with the National Task Force and its regional counterparts to assist the LGUs.
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DOH: Localized lockdowns better than stricter quarantine protocols
The OCTA research findings also showed that the COVID-19 hotspots for the last two weeks include: Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo.
As of October 13, the Department of Health reports the total number of COVID-19 cases at 344,713, after 1,990 newly-confirmed cases were added to the list of COVID-19 patients.
DOH likewise announces 327 recoveries. This brings the total number of recoveries to 293,383.
Of the 1,990 reported cases, 1,831 (92%) occurred within the recent 14 days (September 30 – October 13, 2020). The top regions with cases in the last two weeks were NCR (510 or 28%), Region 4A (436 or 24%), and Region 10 (158 or 9%).
Of the 40 deaths, 18 occurred in October (45%), 15 in September (38%) 4 in August (10%) 1 in July (2%) 1 in June (2%) and 1 in April (2%). Deaths were from Region 6 (13 or 32%), Region 4A (10 or 25%), CAR (3 or 8%), CARAGA (3 or 8%), NCR (3 or 8%), Region 1 (2 or 5%), Region 12 (2 or 5%), Region 5 (1 or 2%), Region 10 (1 or 2%), Region 11 (1 or 2%), and ROF (1 or 2%).