Palace floats possible change in quarantine status in April

MANILA – Amid spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the country, the government might be forced to impose a stricter community quarantine in April, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque floated the possibility of a more restrictive quarantine status in the country if healthcare utilization rate and bed care utilization rate reached the “critical” level.

“Fixed po ang ating formulas on quarantine. So, kung talagang magiging critical po ang ating healthcare utilization rate, then, that may justify changing our quarantine status (We have fixed formulas on [implementing nationwide community] quarantine. So, if our healthcare [and bed] utilization rate[s] become critical, then, that may justify changing our quarantine status),” he said in a virtual presser.

Covid-19 infections have ticked up further, as the Department of Health reported more cases of new coronavirus strains.

The Philippines on Wednesday reported an additional 4,387 Covid-19 cases, bringing the country’s total case count to 635,698.

On Monday, the Philippines logged 5,404 new infections, the highest single-day count recorded this year.

OCTA Research, an independent research group monitoring the Covid-19 cases in the country, warned that daily cases nationwide may jump to 8,000 by month-end, and could even reach up to 20,000 by mid-April, if the upward trend in infections continues.

Roque remained confident that the government would be able to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

“In fact, nakikita natin na bumagal na. Hindi na po siya 5,000 plus. Nasa 4,000 na. And I think we can further slow it down gradually – 3,000 hanggang 2,000 back to the 1,000 level (In fact, it is slowing down already. It’s no longer 5,000 plus. And I think we can further slow it down gradually to 3,000, and then to 2,000, back to the 1,000 level),” he said.

Roque also said the local government units (LGUs), with the cooperation of their constituents, are doing their best to contain Covid-19 within their respective localities.

“Gumagawa nga po tayo ng mga hakbang para huwag magkatotoo ‘yung mga projection (We are looking for ways to avoid the projections [made by OCTA Research]). And I think the local government units already know what to do,” he said.

The OCTA Research Group said the Covid-19 cases in the country may hit to 11,000 by the end of March if the at least 2.03 reproduction number will not change.

Due to the rising Covid-19 cases, Metro Manila LGUs imposed tougher measures anew. The local officials in the country’s metropolis decided to implement a two-week curfew beginning March 15 and banned minors aged 18 and below outdoors to help curb coronavirus infections.

Meantime, Roque said there is no need to discontinue the public engagements of President Rodrigo Duterte despite upward trend in Covid-19 cases.

Roque maintained that Duterte is avoiding places with high cases of Covid-19.

“Itutuloy po iyan kasi iyong lakad naman niya ay sa area na mababa po ang Covid ‘no (His activities will proceed as planned because they will be conducted in areas that have low Covid-19 cases),” he said.

Duterte on Thursday visited Guiuan, Eastern Samar to lead the quincentennial commemoration of the Philippine Part in the First Circumnavigation of the World.

After his visit to Eastern Samar, Duterte would attend the joint meeting of national and regional task forces’ ending local communist armed conflict in Tacloban City.