Palace: No need to shift to stricter quarantine status yet

MANILA, Philippines — There is no need yet for the country to shift to stricter quarantine measures amid rising COVID-19 cases, Malacañang said Monday.

In an online briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the country still has adequate hospital capacity to treat COVID-19 patients.

“For the month of March, I don’t think it is called for,” Roque said when asked of possibly shifting to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

“Sabihin na nating dumami ang kaso pero nakikita naman natin, handa tayong gamutin iyong mga seryosong magkakasakit,” he added.

(Let’s say the cases increase, we’re ready to give medical attention to those who will have serious cases.)

Of 1,900 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, Roque said 60 percent is still available while 65 percent of 13,500 isolation beds remain unoccupied. He also said 75 percent of 6,000 ward beds are still available.

Roque noted that local government units can utilize their power to impose localized or granular lockdowns in areas where there is a surge in COVID-19 cases.

“Iyong kalye, iyong bahay, iyong compound na mayroong mga maraming sakit, i-lockdown ninyo na po iyan dahil iyan po talaga ang ating istratehiya ngayon,” Roque said.

(Streets, houses, compounds that have high COVID-19 cases, you can impose a lockdown since that is now our strategy.)

“Dahil sa totoo lang po, hindi na po natin kaya na mag-lockdown ng ating ekonomiya. Napakadami na pong nagugutom,” he added.

(Because to be honest, our economy can’t afford another lockdown. Many are already experiencing hunger.)

On Sunday, the Philippines recorded more than 3,000 new COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day, bringing the total caseload to 594,412.

The OCTA Research, an independent research group, has projected the country to have up to 6,000 COVID-19 cases per day by the end of March.

EDV