About 26 provinces in the country have zero novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases or have not seen an increase in cases in a long time, which Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday was “good news.”
Although the Department of Health did not say which provinces have not seen a rise in their COVID-19 cases, 32 percent of the country’s provinces and 38 percent of its cities are still seemingly untouched by the pandemic, an ABS-CBN report citing its own research said.
READ: COVID-19 Tracker: Philippines as of April 22, 2020
The broadcast network's Investigative and Research Group said data from the DOH showed that 26 out of 81 provinces in the Philippines have not had a single confirmed case of COVID-19 to date—even as cases in the country, especially in Metro Manila, continued to rise.
The DOH also reported Wednesday that the rate of transmission of COVID-19 has slowed as the number of recoveries surpassed deaths for the eighth straight day.
Vergeire said 39 COVID-19 patients recovered Wednesday, bringing total recoveries to 693, while nine deaths on the same day brought total fatalities to 446.
As of 4 p.m. April 22, the country had a total of 6,710 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 111 new cases reported Wednesday.
Among the confirmed cases were 1,062 health care workers who tested positive for COVID-19. These were made up of 422 doctors, 386 nurses, 30 medical technologists, 21 radiologic technologists, 51 nursing assistants, and 152 other frontliners, including barangay health workers.
An encouraging development, Vergeire said, was the slowing of the virus’ doubling time, or the time it takes for the number of COVID-19 cases to double.
“It used to be three days, and now it’s up to five days. That’s a good sign for all of us,” Vergeire said.
READ: War on virus: Recovering patients outpace fatalities for 5th straight day
She added, however, that this was no reason for complacency, noting that there was a resurgence of cases in countries where stringent measures were lifted.
Vergeire advised the public to be ready to embrace the “new normal” where physical distancing, cough etiquette, and maintaining good hygiene by frequent hand washing will still be practiced even after the Enhanced Community Quarantine is lifted by May 1.
“We have to be ready for this new normal we’re talking about. Even if we come to April 30 and it [ECQ] will not be extended anymore or it will be extended, whatever the decision will be, we will have a new normal,” she said.
“We all know that the virus… will still be here by May 1,” she added.
She urged the public to strongly adhere to all the government rules and guidelines in the country’s fight against COVID-19.
The United States government, meanwhile, has approved an additional P269 million ($5.3 million) in health and humanitarian assistance to the Philippines to help the country’s fight against COVID-19, bringing total US assistance to more than P470 million ($9.3 million).
The US Embassy in Manila said the US Agency for International Development is collaborating with the Philippine government to implement internationally recognized prevention, control, and response strategies to protect against infectious diseases.
“This newest tranche of US assistance will support laboratory and specimen-transport systems and intensify case-finding and disease surveillance,” the embassy statement said.
“The funding also will assist Filipino and international technical experts in risk communication, infection prevention and control efforts, hand washing and hygiene promotion, and community-level preparedness and response,” it added.
Earlier, the US extended P203 million ($4 million) in health funding to support the Philippine government’s efforts to prepare laboratory systems to combat the virus, as well as a donation of 1,300 cots to Philippine medical facilities.
The US assistance has boosted the testing capacity of the Department of Health by upgrading laboratories, providing laboratory supplies, and strengthening specimen transport systems, which have contributed to an increase in the country’s testing capacity from 200 to about 3,000 tests per day.
READ: Highest recoveries in a day set at 53
The aid also intensified infection control through the USAID’s online learning modules that boosted the capacities in more than 100 hospitals across the country with the most up-to-date COVID-19 infection prevention and control information and skills.
“This assistance also helps individuals, families, and frontline community and hospital health care workers to protect themselves from infection,” the embassy said.
The US assistance also enhanced risk preparedness and crisis communications by supporting the DOH communications platforms, including the Healthy Pilipinas Facebook page for accurate COVID-19 information. USAID is also supporting the DOH to rapidly translate and communicate the latest COVID-19 guidelines and policies for improved implementation of COVID-19 response.