The Philippines is expecting a 25% drop at least in the number of new COVID-19 infections following a two-week general community quarantine with stricter restrictions in the national capital region including four provinces, the Philippine Inquirer reported Monday.
Until April 4, Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal will be under a "bubble" where religious gatherings and indoor dining at restaurants will be banned and people will be allowed to move around within these areas only - with exceptions for essential purposes like going to work, the Inquirer said.
If the "explosive" increase in new COVID infections in the capital isn't contained, bed and intensive care unit capacity of hospitals will reach full occupancy by the first week of April, The OCTA Research Group of the Philippines said.
New COVID-19 cases topped 7,000 for three consecutive days - the highest since the coronavirus pandemic broke out - taking the country's cases to more than 663,000 and overwhelming front-line health workers.
Around 50% of active cases are in the capital of Metro Manila where many of its 12 million people live in poor and congested neighborhoods.
Next to Indonesia, the Philippines has the second-largest number of cases and deaths in Southeast Asia. "The country's recorded COVID-19 cases remain high. Better to stay home if going out is unnecessary," the Ministry of Health said.
In recent weeks, curfews, lockdowns, a stay-at-home order for all children and a ban on foreigners entering the Philippines have been imposed. However, infections continue to rise.
Unless health officials take immediate action to reduce the spread of the virus "we should expect our hospital facilities and medical frontliners to be overwhelmed...just around and after Easter," OCTA Research said.
