No new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 41 provinces across the nation over the course of the last two weeks, making the Department of Health (DOH) optimistic that the current measures to control the infection spread are effective.
In Tuesday’s Beat COVID-19 Virtual Presser, the DOH also noted that the case doubling time, or the time it takes for newly reported cases to increase two-fold, has slowed significantly since the beginning of the outbreak– one of the signs that the COVID-19 curve is starting to flatten.
“Ang case doubling time o panahon ng pagdoble ng kaso ay tumaas mula tatlong araw sa limang araw. Bagaman ito’y magandang balita para sa lahat, dapat natin alalahanin na napakaaga pa para sabihin natin na narating na natin ang rurok ng mga kaso,” said Health Undersecretary Health Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.
A second indicator that the curve is flattening is also the doubling time of the number of deaths recorded.
Dr. John Wong of Epimetrics Inc., an epidemiologist working with the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, has previously noted that the number of monitored deaths is also beginning to slow down, doubling close to every seven days instead of the previous three days.
The Undersecretary further noted, “Dahil dito, agresibo nating dinadagdagan ang ating testing capacity upang makita ang totoong bilang ng mga kaso sa buong bansa.”
Usec. Singh-Vergeire acknowledged the start of rapid mass-testing using rapid antibody tests (RATs) in Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, but reiterated that Reverse Transmission–Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing remains the most appropriate testing method at the present point on the virus timeline.
“Sa patuloy na pagdami ng mga nakikipagtulungan sa DOH, mula sa hanay ng pribado at pampublikong sektor upang i-monitor ang COVID 19, sa ganitong paraan magkakaroon tayo ng mas matibay na garantiya upang mapigilan natin na ma-overwhelm at hindi makayanan ng ating healthcare system ang dami ng bilang ng kaso ng COVID,” she noted.
While indications that the spread of the infection is indeed slowing down, Singh-Vergeire has previously emphasized that it is still much too early to consider that the virus has peaked in the Philippines. Furthermore, with the incoming controlled lift of the lockdown, she stressed the importance of other measures to prevent potentially severe outbreaks, such as proper isolation.
“Sa napipintong pag-angat ng lockdown sa ibat-ibang bahagi ng Metro Manila at pagbabalik-trabaho ng karamihan, mahalaga ang kooperasyon ng bawat isa sa pagsunod sa mga health protocol upang maiwasan natin ang isa pang outbreak at mabalewala ang ating pinaghirapan nitong mga nakaraang linggo ng lockdown,” USec. Singh-Vergeire stressed.
Proper physical distancing, sanitizing of workspaces, identification of symptoms, and trained-use of PPEs are critical practices outside of testing that will greatly inhibit the spread of COVID-19. According to the USec. Singh-Vergeire in a previous interview, these measures are largely successful at containing the virus while the country solidifies its testing capacity.
Additionally, she called upon employers in the private sector to be mindful of their responsibility to keep their employees safe, because efforts will not protect just them, but also their families and those around them.
“Dahil dito, kami sa Kagawaran ay humihingi ng dagdag na pag-unawa mula sa ating mga kababayan. Hanggat wala pa tayong gamot o bakuna laban sa COVID-19, patuloy na magiging banta ito sa kalusugan ng ating bayan,” said USec. Singh-Vergeire.
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