DOH says COVID-19 cases 'starting to peak'
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said Monday that the continuous rise in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila, shows a "start of the peak" in the number of infections.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the number of cases nationwide in the past week rose by about 60% to 70%. In Metro Manila, the number of cases has doubled.
According to Vergeire, the agency is closely monitoring the situation in the capital region, which is seeing a "rapid and sharp increase" in infections.
"Right now, what we are seeing is that the number of cases is continuously increasing especially here in the National Capital Region and we can see this is really the start in the peak in the number of cases," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
"We are again guiding our public and making them aware that this might be the start that cases will continuously rise in the next couple of weeks," she added.
The health agency is also monitoring the uptick in cases in Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Northern Mindanao. But she noted that these increases in infections were not as significant as the spike in the capital region.
COVID-19 cases are increasing again in the country, with 612 additional infections confirmed on Sunday. This was the highest single-day rise since April 3.
The DOH said the presence of more transmissible Omicron subvariants, increased mobility, and the waning immunity of the public due to the slow uptake of booster shots are driving the rise in cases. Only 14.6 million out of the eligible 55 million people have received boosters.
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