The Philippines' confirmed COVID-19 cases neared the 70,000-mark on Monday and the Department of Health is pushing for 100-percent compliance with protocols to stop the spread of the disease. Currently, the Philippines is second in the world when it comes to wearing face masks.
Total infections reached 69,898 after 1,521 cases were confirmed. The death toll rose to 1,835 after four new cases were logged while recoveries increased to 23,072. The continuing increase is due to the country's higher testing capacity and community transmissions due to the failure of some to follow minimum standards, said Health Usec Maria Rosario Vergeire.
However, some metrics are improving, including the positivity rate or the number of those who test positive and the reproductive rate or the capacity of one person to infect a certain number of people, Vergeire said.
"Ang moblity trend, may direct correlation sa pagdami ng kaso. Manatili sa tahanan para di na makadagdag sa pagdami ng kaso (The mobility trend has a direct correlation to the increase in cases. Stay at home to avoid adding the the increase in cases)," she said in an online news conference.
"Ang goal natin, 100 percent compliance (Our goal is 100 percent compliance)," she said.
Current quarantine classifications are effective until July 31. President Rodrigo Duterte gave Metro Manila officials the last two weeks of the month to stop the rise in cases and avoid being rolled back into a lockdown or Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine from General Community Quarantine.
