Says COVID cases can double to 24,000 in 2 weeks’ time if people won’t follow rules
(Eagle News) – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reminded the public to limit going outside of their homes as he warned of a spike in COVID cases in the next few days, and even double to 24,000 in two weeks time, if people would continue to defy quarantine protocols.
Roque said that if people would continue to violate social distancing and other health protocols, the country’s COVID-19 cases of over 12,000 cases can easily double to 24,000, if case doubling time returns to just two days, Roque said.
“So sa isang linggo, o dalawang linggo, mauubos na iyong suma total ng mga kama natin, at sa kalye na po kayo ilalagay (In a week or two, the country’s bed capacity will be filled up, and you will just be brought to the streets if you get sick),” the Palace spokesperson said referring to the current 13,547 bed capacity for COVID patients in the country.
Roque said this as he stressed that the government might be forced to put parts of the country back into Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) if statistics later will show that there has been an increase in COVID-19 infections since the start of the relaxed protocols on Saturday, May 16.
“Sa totoo lang po, nananakot kami,” he said in a virtual press briefing on Monday, May 18, considered the first working day under the relaxed protocol measures.
“Dinagsa po ang mga malls Wala nang physical distancing. Meron pa ngang nagtutulakan,” Roque said.
“Pag ganyan po tao nang ganyan, lahat ay mabibigyan, hindi po nang ayuda, kundi ng COVID-19,” he said.
-Parang nakawala sa kural-
Roque compared the people’s excitement last Saturday to go to malls, as “parang nakawala sa kural” (like being released from a pigpen).
He cited the existing limited bed capacity for COVID patients in the country at 13,457, and the limited number of certified COVID-19 laboratories at 30.
If the COVID-19 doubling time return to two to three days, instead of the current slowed down time of six to seven days, then government will be forced to place areas in the country with high cases back to ECQ.
The Philippines, as of Sunday afternoon, May 17, has 12,513 COVID-19 cases.
“Bantayan po natin. Itong numero na 12,513 cases, tingnan po natin, talagang lolobo po yan dahil sa mga nangyayari na binabalewala ang social distancing at iba pang health protocols,” Roque said.
He said that he is sure that the number of infections will rise rapidly in the coming days.
-Not enough bed capacity for COVID patients, if cases spike-
“Uulitin ko po, limitado pa rin ang mga kama natin pag tayo ay nagkasakit, kung lahat po tayo ay lalabas ng ganyan kadami at hindi i-o-observe ang social distancing, unang una babalik po tayo sa ECQ. Dahil sinabi ko na nga po, hindi naman yan nakataga sa bato na, na tayo ay nasa MECQ na (I repeat, we have limited bed capacity for those who will get sick with COVID if everyone would go out of their homes in droves and you will not observe social distancing. First, we will go back to being under ECQ. Since I’ve said before this is not set in stone — that we are already under MECQ),” he said.
-Return to ECQ-
“Pero pag dumami pa rin at hindi kakayaning magbigay ng critical care sa mga nagkakasakit, lalo po tayong balik sa kulungan, ECQ lahat uli,” he said.
Roque advised people that if they don’t want to return to ECQ, they should limit going out of their homes.
“Kung ayaw nya pong bumalik, sige po bawasan nya na pong lumabas. Huwag na sanang mauulit yung nangyari nung Sabado. Kasi ako mismo ayaw kong bumalik sa ECQ (If you don’t want to return to ECQ, limit going out. I hope what happened last Saturday, would not happen again, because I myself don’t want to go back to ECQ),” he said.
Roque said that the latest graphs have shown that COVID-19 related deaths are decreasing while the COVID-19 case curve is also flattening, as more people recovered from the virus and the doubling time has slowed down.
But people’s actions after the relaxation of protocols since Saturday can very well bring back the country to the time that there is a spiral of cases, he said.
“Tataas po yan ng napakatarik dahil nga po sa binalewala natin ang social distancing at iba pang protocols,” he said.
Roque explained that the government relaxed quarantine protocols as it recognized that the economy needed to be revived, and some people have to go to work to keep business and employment going.
But this is not a passport for them to forget safety and health protocols, such as what happened malls and other places, Roque said.
-No one’s safe from COVID-
Roque stressed that the country is still under community quarantine protocols – either under the stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine such as in Metro Manila, Laguna and five Central Luzon provinces, or under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) where most of the country are under.
Cebu City and Mandaue City in Cebu province are also under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
“Nandyan pa rin po ang virus, habang wala pang bakuna, habang wala pang gamot,” he said in his reminder to Filipinos. “Hindi pa rin po tayo ligtas sa COVID-19.”
Roque said that everybody should still wear face masks when going outside of their homes, observe physical distancing of at least 1 meter, and do frequent handwashing.
But if people will be stubborn and continue to violate the rules, the country might suffer the fate of other countries which had a spike in COVID cases after the relaxation of lockdown measures.
“Matutulad po tayo sa ibang mga bansa kung saan tumaas ang COVID 19 cases matapos irelax and restrictions,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)
