Rising COVID-19 infections 'tip of the iceberg' —DOH official

Recent uptick in COVID-19 cases might only be the "tip of the iceberg" as the country's capability to detect the more transmissible Delta variant is still limited, Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega said Sunday.

For two consecutive days, the Philippines' coronavirus infections rose to more than 8,000 with the Delta variant cases mushrooming in Metro Manila and other provinces. 

"Itong pag-sequence ng Delta virus, hindi naman lahat ng positive RT-PCR kundi kaunti lang. Tingin namin baka nasa tip of the iceberg ang nakikita natin. Kailangan natin gumawa ng hakbang. Kung hindi natin ma-control ang transmission makahahawa talaga," said Vega over Dobol B interview.

(Not all RT-PCR positive tests results are used in sequencing the Delta variant. We think the cases we are able to record represents only the tip of the iceberg. We need to do more to address this, otherwise more will get infected.)

Upticks in cases are seen in Metro Manila, Region 1, Region 4A, Region 6, Region 7, and Region 10, according to the Vega.

Most of the sequenced Delta variant cases, now at 216, are sourced from Metro Manila areas, he added.

Pressed on Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire's projection that infections may increase to 30,000, Vega said it could happen unless the government implements stricter measures such as the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate approach.

"Nakatatakot kapag walang ginawa, aabot ang projection na yan. (If we fail to do something, this projection could become true)," said Vega.

Meanwhile, Vega quoted Israeli experts as saying they will help the Philippines in terms of COVID-19 resources, but it was not clear if vaccine doses are included.

Amid increasing Delta variant cases, Metro Manila will be placed again under the strictest enhanced community (ECQ) from August 6 to August 20 in a bid to avert possible surge in COVID-19 cases. —LBG, GMA News