NCR reverting to MECQ ‘not a foregone conclusion’, Palace says despite surge in COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — A stricter quarantine status in Metro Manila is not certain yet even as the number of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases continues to increase on a daily basis, Malacañang said Tuesday.

According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the case doubling rate or the time it takes for new COVID-19 cases to increase two-fold in Metro Manila is at 8.9 days, slightly better than the current nationwide average of 8.6 days.

“Tignan po natin kung anong magiging desisyon pero hindi po foregone conclusion na babalik tayo sa MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) dahil ang case doubling rate naman po hindi lumala, bumuti ng bahagya,” Roque said in a televised press briefing.

(Let’s see what the decision is going to be but it’s not a forgone conclusion that we’re going back to MECQ because the case double rating is not worsening, it’s improving a bit.)

Based on the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Roque said Metro Manila’s current case doubling rate constitutes a stay in the general community quarantine (GCQ) for two more weeks.

However, he noted that the government would still consider other data such as the capital region’s critical care capacity.

Metro Manila has been under GCQ for nearly two months now.

COVID-19 cases in the Philippines continue to increase which health authorities attributed to the country’s improved testing capacity and the increased contact among the population as a result of the relaxation of quarantine measures to reopen the pandemic-battered economy.

To date, there are 82,040 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide, more than half or 45,367 came from Metro Manila, the epicenter of the contagion in the country.

Meanwhile, 26,446 patients have so far recovered although 1,945 died.

But for Roque, the increase in new cases is largely due to the country’s expanded COVID-19 testing efforts.

“Can you imagine 1.3 million na po ang natest natin eh ilang buwan pa lamang ang nakakalipas. Meron na tayong 94 na laboratories samantalang dati iisa pa lamang. Sa akin po: mas maigting ang ating testing mas marami tayong positives na mahahanap; mas makakabuti po yan dahil mai-isolate natin sila at magkakaron tayo ng contact tracing,” he said.

(Can you imagine, we have already tested 1.3 million in just a few months. We now have 94 laboratories from just one. For me, we have intensified our testing so we’re finding more positive [cases]. This is good because we can isolate them and do contact tracing.)

Members of the IATF are expected to meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss what would be their recommendation on the fate of the quarantine measures nationwide.

It is President Duterte who will have the final say whether to extend or ease the different quarantine measures placed on Metro Manila and several provinces beyond July 31.

CFC