COVID-19 infections might increase next year, MMDA exec warns
MANILA, Philippines — There might be a surge of coronavirus disease infections in January 2021 if Christmas celebrations will not be controlled in households, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Wednesday.
“We [Metro Manila Council] are expecting by January, magkakaroon ng kaunting pagtaas [ng cases], hopefully not, pero titignan natin dito iyong numero kung substantial ba? Kasi kapag substantial, nakakatakot kung bumalik tayo sa dati. Mag-MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) na naman, hindi na kaya,” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said over an online press conference, discussing the Dec. 1 MMC’s meeting.
(We are expecting by January that there will be a slight increase of cases, hopefully not, but we will look into the numbers if these are substantial? If these are substantial, it would be difficult to return to MECQ status, we cannot do that anymore.)
With this, Garcia said Metro Manila mayors urged residents not to invite other villagers during the Christmas season.
“Ang kinakabahan ang mga mayors natin ngayon sa Metro Manila is iyong neighborhood and household, kasi mahirap ma-control. That’s why nakikiusap sila [MMC] — of course, it’s Christmas season, naiintindihan namin — kung mag salo-salo kayo sa bahay ninyo, kayo kayo na lang. Wala nang iimbitahin na taga labas o taga ibang barangay kasi ito magiging prone sa hawaan,” he said.
(Our mayors in Metro Manila fear that they cannot control cases in neighborhoods and households. That’s why the MMC is asking, if you will have a gathering at your homes, then just be with your families. Don’t invite people from outside or other villagers because it will be prone to infection.)
About 2,400 cases of COVID-19 in Metro Manila are active, Garcia also said.
In August, the government placed the whole of Metro Manila and other provinces under modified enhanced community quarantine from the less restrictive general community quarantine to heed frontline workers’ plea of a timeout as COVID-19 infections continue to increase.
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