MANILA, Philippines – The number of severe and critical COVID 19 cases in Cebu City is rising along with the death rate, which is “very much alarming” and underscores the need to continue strict lockdown restrictions in the area, according to Secretary Carlito Galvez, chief implementer of the National Task Force-COVID 19.
Galvez said that in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, 86 of those who died did so in less than 48 hours since being brought to the hospital.
This means that severe cases of the disease had not been detected early, he said. This was also why early testing was important, he added.
“Once we fail to detect and treat it and we don’t find its causes, there is a possibility that many of the patients who would go to the hospital would be dead on arrival and would be severe cases,” he said at a press briefing.
Many of the major hospitals are almost full as well, he said.
Galvez said he does not want to pre-empt the President’s announcement on whether the enhanced community quarantine over Cebu City would be extended or downgraded, but he sees the need for “stringent restrictions.”
He also said officials have learned that the ECQ had not been properly implemented in the past.
This was what had prompted Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to deploy members of the police Special Action Force to the city, he said.
Authorities are also watching 19 barangays placed under strict lockdown and had deployed drones and used helicopters to check on the implementation of the restrictions, he added.