Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER.net file photo / DARRYL ESGUERRA
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday expressed hope that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country will not reach 40,000 by end of June following the extension of general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila and other areas.
Researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) earlier warned against loosening quarantine restrictions even more as they projected that the number of COVID-19 cases nationwide could reach 40,000 by the end of June.
“Well, unang-una po, bahagya naman pong nasunod ang rekomendasyon ng UP dahil hindi nga po tayo nag-MGCQ [modified GCQ]. Sila po iyong nagbigay din ng warning na kapag tayo ay patuloy pang nagluwag, eh baka nga umabot sa 40,000,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview over GMA-7.
(First of all, UP’s recommendation was followed since we did not shift to MGCQ. They gave a warning that if we continue to loosen restrictions, we may reach 40,000 [cases].)
“Inaasahan po natin ngayon na dahil nasa GCQ pa rin tayo at magkakaroon ng localized lockdown na hindi naman po aabot sa 40,000,” Roque added.
(We expect that since we are still under GCQ and there will be localized lockdown, we will not reach 40,000 cases.)
President Rodrigo Duterte announced Monday night that Metro Manila and several other areas will remain under GCQ until June 30.
Cebu City, meanwhile, was reverted back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from GCQ after recording a high rate of coronavirus transmission.
Previously, researchers from UP warned that the number of COVID-19 cases by June 15 may reach 24,000 if quarantine restrictions are relaxed starting June 1.
As of June 15, health officials recorded 26,420 COVID-19 cases nationwide with 1,098 deaths and 6,252 recoveries.