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Friday, March 29, 2024

Metro remains under GCQ

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President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained the prevailing General Community Quarantine with some restrictions for Metro Manila and Bulacan as well as for Rizal province from July 1 to 15.

GCQ with heightened restrictions will remain for the provinces of Laguna and Cavite, while Baguio City, Ifugao province, the city of Santiago in Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Guimaras, Aklan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, Iligan City, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Cotabato City will be under GCQ with regular restrictions.

Some 22 areas were placed under the stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine: Cagayan, Apayao, Bataan, Lucena City, Puerto Princesa, Naga City, Iloilo City, Iloilo province, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur.

10 million vaccine mark breached

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Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said more than million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the country in July and August.

This includes the following deliveries for July: 5.5 million Sinovac, 1.17 million AstraZeneca, 250,000 Moderna, 500,000 Pfizer, up to 4 million from COVAX, up to 1 million (likely J&J) from the United States, and 1.1 million from Japan.

For August, the government expects the delivery of 13.67 million vaccine doses from various brands.

The country has so far received 17.45 million vaccine doses, of which over 10 million have been administered, covering 2.52 million for the second dose and 7.538 million for the first dose.

Restrictions may be eased further

Earlier in the day, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases may consider removing some restrictions under Metro Manila’s GCQ status.

The OCTA Research Group on Sunday said it may still be premature to ease quarantine restrictions as the country’s vaccination program has not yet reached the advised levels.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said it is still too early to shift to a modified GCQ or the loosest classification of restrictions for the NCR Plus bubble.

50% population protection in November

David said Metro Manila could reach a population protection level of 50 percent in November, and 75 percent by December should the vaccination program cover the area’s 10 million population.

Population protection indicates that there is fewer than one case per 100,000 people. Given Metro Manila’s population, this would mean it would have fewer than 140 new confirmed cases daily.

Metro Manila’s average daily attack rate (ADAR) was at 4.83 cases per 100,000 population, classifying it as a moderate-low risk area. Its positivity rate was 7 percent.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark for the positivity rate is 5 percent or lower.

5,604 fresh cases

The Philippines logged 5,604 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 403,588, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

The DOH reported 84 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 24,456.

The DOH also reported 6,154 persons who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,327,103.

Some 52,029 active cases were reported, of which 90.1 percent were mild, 5 percent were asymptomatic, 1.4 percent were critical, 2.1 percent were severe, and 1.49 percent were moderate.

Beef up genome sequencing

Meanwhile, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) said it plans to increase the country’s capability for whole genome sequencing as new variants of the coronavirus are being detected.

PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma said the Philippines can double its genome sequencing capacity and improve its turnaround time if more areas are equipped to sequence samples.

Saloma said the Philippines is currently capable of sequencing 750 samples weekly, less than 1 percent of its confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines has so far detected 1,085 Alpha variant cases, 1,267 Beta cases, two Gamma cases, and 17 cases of the Delta variant first identified in India.

SOS: More health workers needed

Also on Monday, a doctor in Motiong town in Samar said they need more health workers and assistance as 16 medical frontliners have tested positive for COVID-19.

Of the 16 frontliners, five are in home quarantine, six are in isolation facilities, while the rest are at the rural health unit, said Dr. Katerina Abiertas.

“Health workers are tired. Due to our training, even if we're tired and even if our family is sulking, we put our jobs first because we took an oath. But we also need to be taken care of,” Abiertas said in Filipino on ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

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