Philippines’ new COVID-19 cases reached July 2020 peak level

The number of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines on Wednesday has reached the July 2020 peak level, according to Lei Alviz’s report on “State of the Nation.”

Earlier, the Department of Health reported that there are 4,387 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 635,698 cases.

According to Dr. Alethea De Guzman, the OIC-Director of the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau, the country recorded an average of 3,000 cases in March, an increase from the previous average of 1,000 cases in January.

“So what we were reporting for the first two weeks of March were 2.5 times higher than what we reported in January. Eh, nung January nag sisimula na tayo ng pagtaas,” she said.

(So what we were reporting for the first two weeks of March was 2.5 times higher than what we reported in January. But the increase in cases was already starting by then.)

Should this remain unaddressed, De Guzman said last year’s peak may even be breached.

This will bring additional issues to hospitals, such as the hospital of Makati, which is almost at 96 percent occupancy.

Meanwhile, the Metro Lipa Medical Center in Batangas has announced that the facility can no longer accommodate COVID-19 patients.

Due to the turnout of the government’s vaccination program, the OCTA Research group also said it should not be expected to stop the surge of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.

“Unfortunately that number that we’re receiving will not be enough to make a significant effect on the numbers that we’re seeing on the model,” Professor Guido David, of the OCTA Research group, said.

“We probably will see some effect at about 30 percent of the population,” he added.

The OCTA Research group urged the government to prioritize the vaccination of Metro Manila and nearby areas.

“This gives us confidence that localized lockdowns work to some extend. Together with reduced mobility, curfews, stricter implementation of health protocols, and city ordinances, this can help reduce the reproduction number in NCR to more manageable levels,” he said. -- Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP, GMA News