Health system capacity enough to treat cases – DOH
https://youtu.be/DqskWsl7g1A
(Eagle News) — At least 90 percent of the coronavirus cases in the Philippines are just “mild”, and two percent are considered severe or critical cases, according to the Department of Health, which is one justification for the country easing down quarantine restrictions starting Monday, June 1.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque reported to the President that the country’s health systems capacity is also high and can accommodate the present COVID-19 cases.
Duque said that around percent of the COVID positive individuals were “asymptomatic” meaning they were not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.
He also explained the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases as because of the increasing validation of certified COVID-19 laboratories which are now working almost non-stop to process virus test backlogs.
“Kumpara po sa nakaraang araw ay ang trend ng bilang ng mga kaso ay tumaas ngunit dahil po ito sa patuloy din na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kasong atin pong nava-validate,” Duque explained in a report to the President that was also televised on Thursday night, May 28.
He said that some laboratories had also made late submissions of their files. But recently, there has been an automated system of transmission of processed test results, explaining the recent spike in cases.
“Tumaas man po ang ating kaso pero sa pangkalahatan naman ang mild cases po natin ay nasa 90 percent; at 7.3 percent naman ang asymptomatic, ‘yung wala pong nararamdaman na sakit. at less than two percent naman po ang severe to critical cases,” Duque.
“At ibig ko rin pong bigyang-diin na sa kasalukuyan po ang ating health systems capacity ay sapat. In fact, we have around mga 60 plus percent reserve capacity in terms of available mechanical ventilators, available intensive care units, and also our isolation beds,” he explained.
-Increasing COVID cases as country prepares to shift to less restrictions-
As of May 28, the number of new cases added jumped to 539 from the previous 380. On May 29, Friday, the new cases added almost doubled at 1,046, bringing the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 16,634.
Earlier, President Duterte noted the spike in the number of cases in the country recently, and asked Duque to give his explanation for this.
“I hope that the public was able to grasp the whole of the dimensions na ibinigay ni Secretary Duque,” he said after the DOH chief’s report.
The President, nevertheless, reminded Filipinos to strictly follow safety and health protocols such as proper handwashing, proper cough etiquette, maintaining social or physical distancing, and to avoid touching the face, mouth and nose without first washing or disinfecting their hands.
He said that the easing of quarantine restrictions does not mean that there is no COVID-19 anymore.
Starting June 1, Metro Manila, and three other regions in Luzon – Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON – and the provinces of Pangasinan and Albay, will shift to General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Davao City will still remain under GCQ, but the rest of the country will shift to the more relaxed Modified GCQ where most businesses can now operate but should follow health and distancing protocols.
(Eagle News Service)
