QUARANTINE EXTENSION INADVISABLE – AÑO

INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday extending the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon beyond April 14 was inadvisable.

“It is [inadvisable] to extend it. virus patients were being tested. The economy will only suffer,” Without the quarantine, the Año said in a radio interview. number of cases would have gone

He gave assurances that the spread up, he said. of the coronavirus disease 2019 Health Secretary Francisco (Covid-19) could be controlled Duque 3rd said it was too early to within the quarantine period. determine when the quarantine

He said the continued increase could be lifted. in the number of Covid-19 cases “It is too early to assess. Remember was a sign that more suspected that Wuhan, China, started its lockdown last January 24 and in fact it is still implemented. It means that their lockdown is not yet completely lifted,” Duque said.

He noted the number of Covid-19 cases in China peaked three weeks after Beijing enforced communitywide quarantine protocols.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine that would last until April 14.

As of Monday, the Department of Health tallied 1,418 Covid-19 cases, with 71 deaths and 42 recoveries.

There are 874 persons under investigation and 6,321 persons under monitoring.

Duque said the coronavirus fatality rate had dipped from 8 percent to 5 percent.

But he said the change was still because of the rising number of confirmed cases as against reported deaths.

He also reiterated that as the backlog of Covid-19 tests is cleared in the coming days, more reflective figures on the number of new cases would surface.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine committed to clear the backlog at the month’s end.