DOH strictly monitoring 6 COVID-19 hotspots in NCR, Cebu

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Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said Monday the Department of Health (DOH) is strictly monitoring six “hotspots” where there has been a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.

According to Vergeire, the said hotspots include Cebu City, Cebu province, cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu in Cebu, Quezon City, and the City of Manila.

“Ito iyong top 6 na tinututukan namin dahil sila iyong nakapagtala ng maraming kaso ng COVID-19 the past week,” she said in a virtual forum.

(This is the top six we are closely monitoring which recorded increase in new cases of COVID-19 the past week.)

However, Vergeire clarified that the case doubling rate nationwide remained below seven days at 7.7 days and that only 60% of the Philippines’ critical care facilities are occupied.

Aside from the six apparent hotspots, the DOH Undersecretary said the backlogs in COVID-19 test results yet to be released by laboratories have also reached 8,000 as of July 4.

She explained that the lack of encoders in the laboratories is a significant factor in accumulating backlogs.

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“Kulang po kasi ang encoders, kaya iyong laboratoratories, iyong kanilang med tech at ibang staff, sila na rin iyong gumagawa ng report ng encoders,” Vergeire said.

(Because the encoders are lacking, so your laboratoratories, their med tech, and other staff, they also make the encoders’ report.)

“We also have a 6 pm na deadline. Nagkakaroon ng problema kasi iyong iba they submit beyond that, kaya magme-meeting kami bukas with laboratories to discuss the enforcement of deadlines of submissions,” Vergeire added.

(We also have a 6 pm deadline. They are having problems because they submit beyond that, so we will be meeting tomorrow with laboratories to discuss the enforcement of periods of submissions.)

As of this posting, the Philippines recorded 44,254 COVID-19 cases. Of this number, 11,942 recovered, while 1,297 died.

Meanwhile, over 11,000 COVID-19 cases, which are asymptomatic and mild, are also under home quarantine based on DOH records.

Experts from the University of the Philippines earlier projected that the coronavirus cases in the country would reach 61,000 to 95,000 by the end of August.