Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) — The chief implementer of the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic floated the possibility of only placing selected areas under quarantine once the lockdown in Luzon is lifted.
“Maari pong magkaroon ng selective quarantine kung magiging maayos po ang ating pagsunod sa ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” COVID-19 response chief implementer Carlito Galvez said Sunday.
[Translation: We can have a selective quarantine if we would strictly follow the ECQ.]
Galvez, however, said this would only be possible once the government is able to do mass testing of suspected COVID-19 cases, the number of new deaths and new cases decrease, and once the capacity of local health units improve.
Galvez described the planned aggressive testing as a “game changer” as it would be the key to the government’s plan to identify COVID-19 patients, isolate and treat them.
“Hindi tayo makakaahon sa enhanced community quarantine hanngga’t hindi tayo magkakaroon ng targeted testing,” Galvez said.
[Translation: We won’t be able to come out of an enhanced community quarantine until we’ve had targeted testing.]
Galvez said the mass testing, which is expected to roll out this week, would first target around 6,000 to 10,000 suspected COVID-19 patients in Metro Manila, including frontline health workers.
The Health Department said it is ramping up testing, with the goal of being able to do 8,000 tests a day. So far, there are 15 laboratories which have been accredited by the Health Department to conduct tests for the new coronavirus.
It is also through this massive testing the Health Department said it would be able to determine if the country has flattened the curve, or slowed down the spread of the new coronavirus to the point that the healthcare system is not overwhelmed.
In Metro Manila, Quezon City, Valenzuela City and Pasig City are starting to roll out mass tests. Galvez said the Philippine capital of Manila would soon follow suit.
The death toll due to COVID-19 in the Philippines nears 300 as the country reported a spike in fatalities on Sunday, due to the viral disease.
The Health Department reported 50 new deaths due to COVID-19 in its 4 p.m. bulletin on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 297.
The department reported 220 new cases of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, bringing the total number of those who have been infected to 4,648.
Meanwhile, the number of people who have recovered from the viral disease has reached 197, with the Health Department reporting 40 more who have survived COVID-19.
