DOH sees 25% drop in COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks were 25% less than those recorded three to four weeks ago, the Department of Health said Monday.

In a chart released to reporters, the DOH said the COVID-19 cases were averaging on 2,517 per day in three to four weeks ago while in the past two weeks the average of cases were down to 1,887.

“We can see that there is a 25% decrease in the number of cases in the Philippines the past 2 weeks vs 3-4 weeks ago,” the DOH said.

As to cases in Metro Manila, it is down by 38% from an average of 842 cases per day to 522 cases per day.

“‘Yung trends natin, comparing to last month, decreased by 25%,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online media forum.

“So, hopefully dadating tayo doon sa point na pababa na rin siya nang pababa at hindi na tayo madadagdagan ng mga kaso,” she added.

The Philippine government is targeting to place all local government units under Modified General Community Quarantine by end of first quarter of 2021, Vergeire said.

However, the government must ensure that the health system capacity is not overwhelmed and can accommodate even non-COVID cases, she added.

The Health official likewise noted that the average growth rate of COVID-19 cases should be downward.

“That’s the time that we can be able to shift to this lower community quarantine level,” Vergeire said.

“Our target for our milestones would be hopefully by next year end of first quarter, lahat na ng LGUs natin ay nasa MGCQ status na, meaning new normal na sinasabi natin na pwede na tayo lahat to have that kind of shift,” she added.

As of Nov. 1, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines is at 383,113.

JE