Charles Teves
539 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded on Thursday which amounts to approximately 15,588 in total.
The Philippines remains as one of the countries with the lowest recovery rate of 23.1% and the news of a spike in confirmed cases has everyone worried.
Vice Ganda reminded the public to always be cautious because the virus is still very much around.
539 new cases today!!! Eksaheradang pag iingat para sa lahat. God bless all of us. https://t.co/JgcgJQr2kb
— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) May 28, 2020
Mark Zambrano was not really optimistic upon hearing the news.
Ummm GCQ on Monday? I don't think so! https://t.co/zsSQ9ENWGq
— Mark Zambrano (@markzambrano) May 28, 2020
The plan of implementing a GCQ next month doesn’t make a lot of sense given the spike.
May 25 – 284 new cases
May 26 – 350 new cases
May 27 – 380 new cases
May 28 – 539 new casesToday, May 28, recorded the
highest number of new cases
ever, since lockdown began
in March.Tapos GCQ na come June?
Anong ginawa ng gobyerno
from March to May?— Gerry Cacanindin (@GerryCacanindin) May 28, 2020
The newly recorded cases could possibly be just those that were previously waiting to be labeled as confirmed.
539 new cases. Not really a surprise. This is all just backlog which they're beginning to address. Remember lab tests are already at 22,000+ even if announcements are only at 15k. So expect more of these big numbers in the next few days & it doesn't mean things have gotten worse
— Leland Dela Cruz (@lelanddelacruz) May 28, 2020
539 new cases today is only a sign of faster validation by DOH. Remember, the validation backlog is at 7000+. The new confirmed cases daily is only a measure of the DOH bureaucracy—it tells us nothing epidemiologically useful now.
— Josh (@josh_danac) May 28, 2020
539 new cases (the highest in over a month) in a republic that claims to have flattened the curve.
— Alfonso Manalastas 🇵🇸 (@not_alfonso) May 28, 2020
The NCR is still the epicenter of the outbreak in the country, but that hasn’t stopped Metro Manila mayors from requesting a complete shift to a GCQ since businesses are taking huge hits which negatively affects the region’s economy.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the appeal has a good chance of happening on June 1.
“NCR is ready from the data that we have seen but that really depends on the cooperation of everyone,”
But is not assuring anything since President Duterte will always have the final word.
“Kahit anong anunsyo ng Presidente mamayang gabi, pupuwede po tayong bumalik sa ECQ muli kung ang datos ay magpapakita na napakabilis na naman ng doubling rate.” Roque said in a televised briefing.
UP experts are against the transition to a GCQ and say that the NCR should remain under a modified ECQ due to no visible difference in the week-to-week number of new COVID-19 cases in the NCR during the first 10 days of the implementation of MECQ, or from May 16 to 25.
Dr. Tony Leachon, Special Adviser to the National Task Force COVID-19, earlier said that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) wants Metro Manila and Davao City, which are currently under an MECQ, be placed under general community quarantine from June 1 to 15.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed the recommendation but changes could possibly be made.
“‘Yan ay maaari pang magbago kasi ipinadala natin sa mga LGUs ang recommendation natin at mayroon pa silang kaukulang panahon para mag-appeal kung mayroon silang gustong ipabago at idedepensa nila ‘yung kanilang position,” Año told CNN-Philippines.
