DOH says no sign yet to support imposition of lockdown in PH

MANILA, Philippines — Despite increasing number of Covid-19 cases and the presence of a new and more infectious virus variant, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday there is yet an indication to back enforcement of lockdown in the country.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the government bases its decision to impose a lockdown on experts’ recommendations and evidence at hand.

Other factors also include the country’s health care capacity as well as the number of cases nationwide.

“Sa ngayon, ‘pag tinitingnan natin, hindi pa naman nagkakaroon ng senyales para magkaroon ng lockdown,” she said in a Palace briefing.

(For now, when we look at it, there is no sign yet to support imposing a lockdown.)

“Mukhang nagwo-work naman sa atin ‘yung granular lockdowns, ‘yung mga localized lockdowns na isinasagawa natin,” she added.

(It seems the granular lockdowns or localized lockdowns that we are imposing are working.)

On Sunday, DOH logged 1,949 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s sum Covid-19 caseload to 513,619.

The January 24 figures include the 475,612 patients who survived the respiratory ailment as well as the 10,242 fatalities due to the disease.

Prior to this latest data, DOH reported on January 22 that 16 more individuals in the country were found infected with the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. This was in addition to the country’s first case – a male patient from Quezon City who traveled to Dubai in December and returned to the Philippines this month – of the UK variant infection.

Also on Monday, DOH said 38 close contacts of patients infected with the UK virus variant in Bontoc, Mountain Province, and La Trinidad, Benguet, have been found positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said reimposing strict lockdown measures is a “possibility” if the new Covid-19 variant enters and spreads in the country.

KGA