Duque: Prolonged ECQ in Regions 7, 10 did not work

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday said the prolonged lockdown or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in certain areas are not working.

Duque made the disclosure when he said that he had to leave the Go Negosyo forum earlier than the rest of the participants due to an emergency meeting.

"I have an emergency meeting with DOH (Department of Health) regional directors of Region 7 (Central Visayas) and Northern Mindanao because despite the prolonged ECQ, there seems to be no improvement," Duque said

"It is really troubling, to say the least," Duque added.

Iloilo City, Iloilo province, Cagayan de Oro City and Gingoog in Misamis Oriental have been placed under ECQ from July 16 to August 7.

Under ECQ protocol, only essential trips and essential industries such as food and medicine are allowed to operate.

Dr. Alethea de Guzman of DOH then followed up Duque's pronouncement by disclosing that 42% of COVID-19 cases in the country are of the more infectious Delta variant, a significant increase from 6% in June.

Only 12.8 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, way behind the target of vaccinating 76.3 million by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. 

Cases increasing in several regions

In an interview on ANC, COVID-19 treatment czar Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said cases have been increasing in several regions, including Regions 7 and 10.

"I think we have seen a general trend across the country in terms of the increase in the number of active and new cases and this is very specific for Region 1, 2, and most in Region 3, 4A, and the NCR and Region 7 and Region 10," he said.

Vega also said the utilization rate of intensive care units in Metro Manila is in the high-risk category, with 73% of roughly 1,245 beds currently occupied. 

"We've noticed also that the increase in the number of cases here in the NCR comprise about 25% or roughly about 3,000 to 5,000 [of the] new cases per day and this actually substantially affects the number of patients who would need beds in the different hospitals," he said. — with Julia Mari Ornedo/RSJ, GMA News