Backlog included in doubled NCR COVID-19 cases –Duque

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said that backlogs were included in the reported 4,000 cases in the National Capital Region on Monday, a figure that is double from the 2,000 on Sunday.

“May kasama na ring backlog yan kasi yung reporting minsan talagang hindi maiwasan,” Duque said in an interview on Balitanghali.

(The backlog was included, because [late] reporting cannot be avoided.)

Cases in the NCR grew from 2,008 on Sunday, January 30, 2022 to 4,040 on Monday, according to the OCTA Research group.

Duque explained that the rise in NCR cases could not be said to be due from a resurgence.

“Hindi pa (not yet). We cannot say that as of the moment. We should continue to advise our people is ‘yung compliance with public health, whatever the variant,” he said.

“Although alert level 2 tayo hindi ibig sabihin mag luluwag na tayo sa wearing of the mask, physical distancing. ‘Yun ang kinakailangan natin lagi pinapaalala sa mga kababayan natin.”

(Although we are at alert level 2, this does not mean that we should be complacent in wearing face masks and physical distancing. We should remind the public of this.)

The NCR, Batanes, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Basilan were placed under Alert Level 2 starting February 1 until February 15. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News