DOH: COVID-19 cases in 'NCR Plus' still decreasing but at slower pace
MANILA, Philippines — Coronavirus cases in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces continue to decline but at a slower pace, the Department of Health said Monday.
“[In] the NCR bubble, although we are seeing a decline in the number of cases, we are seeing the decline is getting slower and we are seeing a number of cases again,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
This comes weeks after officials observed a marked decline in infections in the so-called “NCR Plus” bubble, which includes Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.
“We have observed about two to three weeks ago, the decline was really steep, the decline was fast. But right now, it’s plateauing. We’re seeing this because we are averaging in NCR Plus bubble around 1,100 cases,” Vergeire said.
The increase in mobility that came with the easing of movement restrictions is one of the factors that contributed to the slow decrease in infections, the health official pointed out.
“We are seeing this plateauing and we want to remind the public we still need to be very, very careful and cautious, and comply with standards for health,” she said.
Increasing COVID-19 cases outside capital
Vergeire also said rise in COVID-19 cases has been observed in parts of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Ilocos region, Northern Mindanao, Davao region and Caraga.
“We have identified now six regions wherein there is this increase in the number of cases and their healthcare utilization is nearing the high-risk level so we are closely monitoring these regions,” she said.
In a DOH briefing, Vergeire said that aside from increasing the capacities of hospitals and other facilities, local governments need to strengthen the implementation of prevention, detection, isolation, treatment and reintegration (PDITR) strategies.
“We need our local governments [to] be able to identify, find people who have been exposed to a case or people with symptoms… Within 24 hours, the people with symptoms or exposure that they have identified must be quarantined and isolated,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“This is the most critical response or action that may be done to break the chain of transmission,” she added.
Vergeire also said local governments may impose granular lockdowns in their areas.
New quarantine classifications for June are expected to be announced Monday evening.
The Philippines, which has one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in Southeast Asia, reported 7,058 additional cases Sunday. To date, it has tallied 1.22 million infections, including 20,860 deaths. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
- Latest
- Trending
