‘Philippines has fastest rise in cases’
Country logs most infections in Western Pacific in two weeks, says WHO
In nearly two weeks, the Philippines had the fastest rise in Covid-19 cases in the Western Pacific region, more than three times that of Singapore which is battling a second wave of infection.
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed that the country has logged 8,143 new cases since June 16, the highest among 22 countries in the region.
Singapore was a far second with 2,351 new cases during the same period, while China had 302.
Since the Philippines began easing restrictions on May 15, there has been a total of 22,935 new cases, including 738 new infections on Saturday.
Yesterday, the number of virus cases in the Philippines soared to 35,455 after the country’s Department of Health (DOH) reported 653 more infections.
Among the WHO’s Western Pacific members, the spread of the virus is most notable in the Philippines
and Singapore.
As of Saturday, Singapore has seen 17,609 new cases since May 15.
Unlike the Philippines, the city state is addressing a second wave of infections, after being praised worldwide for its efforts early this year in controlling the spread of the virus.
Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies
Programme, earlier said it’s possible that some countries may see a “second peak” of cases in its first wave “because the disease has not been brought under control”.
“If you start to experience a second peak, then the chances are that the disease is spreading in a way that you have not got full control over that,” he said.
The Philippines’ DOH said the recent increase in virus cases “could be mitigated through continued behaviour change.”
“We all know what everyone should do, as well as our local government units who are our leaders in our response,” said Beverly Ho, head of the DOH health promotion and communication service.
“We are grateful for our local officials who serve as examples to our citizens in wearing masks, practising physical distancing. You are role models to your constituents,” she added.
Of the 738 new cases in the country on Saturday, 560 tested positive in the last three days.
Metro Manila accounted for the most number of these cases at 212, followed closely by Central Visayas with 184.
The DOH on Saturday said it stands by the integrity of the tests done on persons stranded in Metro Manila who turned out positive for the virus upon returning to their home provinces, as it stressed that these individuals may have been infected after they were tested.
“Whenever we do testing, it’s a one-time event. This means that if your results are negative, then you went out, for example to do groceries, you may have been exposed again.
“That’s why we can’t give an assurance to a person who is negative (for the virus) that he will remain so until he gets home,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.