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Rising COVID cases to be considered for April quarantine status –Nograles
By ERWIN COLCOL,GMA NewsThe recent spike in the number of COVID-19 cases will be a factor in making a decision on whether to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status this April, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Sunday.
Interviewed on "Dobol B TV News," Nograles said the government will continue monitoring the number of COVID-19 cases throughout March before coming up with the appropriate quarantine restrictions for April.
"Mino-monitor natin yung mga nangyayari ngayon na pagtaas ng bilang sa Pasay City at iba pang areas ng Metro Manila. Siyempre yung genome sequencing na kailangan natin gawin lalo na sa Metro Manila para ma-detect natin yung binabantayan natin na South African at UK coronavirus variants, at yung sinasabi na dalawang worrisome na variants," he said.
"So imo-monitor natin buong March itong mga kaso and obviously, yan ang magiging basis natin para sa recommendations natin for April," he added.
On Saturday, the Philippines logged 3,439 new COVID-19 cases and 42 new deaths. It was the second time this week that more than 3,000 cases were recorded, indicating an increasing rate of infection in the country.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country on Saturday reached 591,138 . Of this number, 535,350 recovered while 12,465 died.
Some of the country's top hospitals in the National Capital Region have also started to feel the effects of a steep increase in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, with the Philippine General Hospital having what has been described as a "mini outbreak."
Also on Saturday, the Department of Health gathered members of different hospitals
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The Philippines began its COVID-19 vaccination program on March 1, after the arrival of 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine, which was immediately followed by 487,000 doses of vaccines from AstraZeneca.
Nograles, on the other hand, assured the public of more batches of COVID-19 vaccines coming throughout this month.
He acknowledged that although there are supply limitations on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, the Philippines still have six other vaccines to get supplies from.
"Hindi naman tayo dependent sa Pfizer. Meron tayong nakuhang Sinovac vaccine, AstraZeneca, at may darating pa. So far, the whole month of March, may mga parating na mga vaccines pa," Nograles said.
"And then si Secretary Carlito Galvez, kung matutuloy man yung trip niya sa India, whether or not matuloy yung trip niya sa India, yung close coordination naman niya sa SII, yung Serum Institute of India, para naman sa Novavax pati sa karagdagang stock din ng AstraZeneca," he added.
Another batch of 38,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines are expected to arrive later this Sunday. —LBG, GMA News