Philippines COVID-19 cases declining – UP experts

MANILA, Philippines — An independent group of researchers has observed a declining number of new COVID-19 cases nationwide, but recommended the imposition of stricter quarantine measures in select areas.

While the country continues to record new cases, the OCTA Research team said there is already a decreasing trend on the reproductive rate of the virus in the entire country and Metro Manila, the epicenter of the pandemic.

It noted that the number of cases in the country has decreased to 2,500 new cases per day, while it has decreased to less than 1,000 in Metro Manila.

“The situation in the NCR has improved as the rate of transmission, the number of cases, as well as the positivity rate are all on a downward trend. But these positive trends are not irreversible and significant efforts have to be undertaken by all stakeholders to sustain it,” read the report.

The researchers urged the national and local governments to strictly monitor and enforce compliance with minimum health standards such as physical distancing, wearing of face mask and face shields and proper hygiene at the community level.

With the resumption of many socio-economic activities, the group also urged the private sector especially businesses to step up efforts to complement government initiatives.

These include ensuring safety in workplaces, providing testing as needed, ensuring compliance with minimum health standards and operationalizing policies to facilitate contact tracing in the workplace.

“The cooperation of the business establishments will significantly reduce the risk of workplace transmission while jump-starting economic recovery,” said the OCTA Research team.

The latest monitoring report of OCTA Research, which is composed of academics from the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas, recommended stricter quarantine measures in high risk areas and those with limited hospital capacity.

The high-risk areas identified were Batangas, Benguet (including Baguio City), Cavite, Davao del Sur (including Davao City), Iloilo (including Iloilo City), Laguna, Misamis Oriental (including Cagayan de Oro) and Negros Occidental.

Also included were Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Pangasinan (including Dagupan), Rizal, South Cotabato (including General Santos), Surigao del Sur, Samar and Zamboanga del Sur (including Zamboanga City).

“The national and local government must intensify their efforts at testing, tracing and isolation to reverse the increase of transmissions in these areas,” read the report released yesterday.

“The national government may consider reverting to a stricter quarantine classification for the aforementioned areas,” it added.

OCTA Research said the government may also consider a stricter quarantine classification in areas with limited hospital capacity and with an increasing number of new cases such as Cagayan and Isabela.

In Metro Manila, still classified as high risk despite decreasing cases, the researchers recommended more aggressive and effective localized lockdowns with stricter border controls to suppress further viral transmissions.

“Whatever quarantine decision government chooses to implement, we continue to reiterate our past recommendations – for it to urgently scale up its test, trace and treat strategy,” said OCTA Research.

“The implementation of quarantines all over the country must also be augmented with better pandemic surveillance, more effective strategies for physical distancing, and compliance with other health protocols, including the vigorous promotion of personal hygiene practices, and the wearing of masks and face shields,” it added.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide rose to 331,869 with the addition of 2,363 cases yesterday. Of the newly recorded cases, 79 percent or 1,869 occurred within the past 14 days. National Capital Region (NCR) topped the regions with highest number of newly reported cases at 734.

The DOH also reported 697 additional recoveries, which brings to 274,318 the number of patients who recuperated from the deadly infection. COVID-related deaths climbed to 6,069 with the inclusion of 144 more fatalities.

Of the 144 deaths, 47 occurred in October while the rest occurred from July to September. Data showed 96 of the deaths were from the NCR, 14 in Calabarzon and eight in Central Visayas. – Mayen Jaymalin