Concern as coronavirus cases top one million in Philippines
If we look at the data, I think we will have to extend the lockdown for another week or two because our healthcare system has yet to improve significantly, says health secretary
The Philippines on Monday breached the grim milestone of logging more than one million coronavirus infections based on the 8,929 new confirmed cases as reported by the Department of Health (DOH).
As a result, the DOH reported that officially the national tally stood at 1,006,428. It said the total was highlighted by a significant high in recoveries that rose to 914,952 from 11,333 new survivors while the death toll hit 16,853 from 70 new fatalities.
Health experts noted that country reached the more than one million mark on Monday, or five days before the independent OCTA research group projected that such record would occur on April 30 due to a surge in virus infections.
This developed as Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Monday supported the extension for a week or two of the quarantine or lockdown imposed in Metro Manila and four neighbouring provinces despite a noticeable drop in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Duque explained the healthcare capacity has yet to improve significantly because of the utilisation of the intensive care units (ICUS) in hospitals devoted to COVID-19 cases in the so-called “Metro Manila bubble” remained at “critical risk.”
“If we look at the data, I think we will have to extend the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) or lockdown for another week or two because our healthcare system has yet to improve significantly. The ICU utilisation is still at critical risk in some cities,” Duque told ABSCBN Teleradyo in a mix of Filipino and English.
This meant, Duque pointed out, that many of the hospital ICUS reserved for COVID-19 patients remained congested due to the surge in patients in the past weeks that threatened to overwhelm the healthcare system.
At the height of the surge, reports indicated that many families have gone “hospital hopping” to find an available bed or ward to accommodate their relatives suffering from the virus.
As such, the average number of infections in the past two weeks remained high despite a signs of a decrease in cases in Metro Manila, composed of 16 cities and one town with a total population of more than 12 million, which remained as the epicentre of the pandemic.
As one health expert pointed out: “Many of the hospital are still grappling with the problem of caring for COVID-19 patients in critical condition. They have yet to ease the congestion that arose at the height of the surge in virus infections.”
The government imposed MECQ in Metro Manila and four neighbouring provinces — Cavite, Laguna and Rizal in Southern Luzon as well as Bulacan in Central Luzon with effect from April 12 to 30.
President Duterte is to announce in his weekly “Talk to the Nation” address on Thursday on whether or not to extend the MECQ , according to Malacanang Palace.
Concerned groups like the Philippine College of Physicians, the Philippine Hospital Association and the independent OCTA research group composed of experts from the state-owned University of the Philippines (UP) have advocated for an extension.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque tried to paint a more optimistic outlook. While he acknowledged that the number of infections has ballooned, he stressed that most patients have recovered and the government is taking steps to make intensive care units available for patients with severe infections.
“Let’s not focus on the total figures. Let’s look at the figures of nearly 900,000 who have recovered and our case fatality rate that is low based on the world average,” Roque said in a televised briefing. “So, I don’t think it is a negative reflection.”
US drugmaker Moderna Inc on Monday filed an application for emergency use authorisation of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, Food and Drug Administration chief Rolando Enrique Domingo told reporters.
The Philippines expects the delivery of 194,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine in May, and another one million shots in July.
The Philippines, which is batling one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in Asia, has so far approved the emergency use of six vaccines in the country.