Medialdea negates Duque: PH not yet in 2nd wave of COVID-19 epidemic

MANILA,  Philippines — For Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the country has yet to reach the second wave of COVID-19 infections.

This is contrary to the revelation of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, who said during a Senate hearing earlier Wednesday that the second wave of COVID-19 infections in the country is already taking place.

“Alam mo, hindi pronouncement ‘yan ng Presidente. Kailan ba lumabas ‘yang second wave? That, we will have to see because as far as I know, wala pa tayo sa second wave,” Medialdea told reporters in an interview during the launch of Balik-Probinsya program .

(You know, that’s not a pronouncement of the President. When did the second wave happen? That, we will have to see because as far as I know, we are not yet in the second wave.)

“Wala pa tayo sa second wave. Dinadasal natin, malakas siguro tayo magdasal. ‘Wag natin i-expect, ‘wag nating asahan pwede ba? Mahirapan tayo,” he added.

(We’re not yet experiencing a second wave. We are praying, maybe we pray too well. Let’s not expect it, please? It will be hard for us.)

An epidemiology expert, however, explained also on Wednesday that the second wave of COVID-19 infections in the country peaked at the end of March.

Dr. John Wong said that the first wave occurred in late January when the country recorded the first three COVID-19 cases: the three Chinese tourists from Wuhan in China’s Hubei province, where the SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes severe respiratory ailment COVID-19, was first detected in late 2019.

As of Wednesday, COVID-19 cases nationwide have surpassed the 13,000-mark with 842 fatalities and 2,932 recoveries.

KGA