The Philippines will continue to see a rising trend in daily COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health said Tuesday, after it tallied two all-time highs over four days.
The daily tally of new COVID-19 cases is expected to continue increasing within the "coming days or maybe weeks," DOH spokesperson Usec. Rosario Vergeire said as local government units ramp up contact tracing efforts due to the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant.
"Ayon po sa projections natin makikita pa rin natin na tuloy-tuloy tumaas ang ating mga aktibong kaso for these coming days and maybe weeks," Vergeire told Teleradyo.
Confirmed COVID cases jumped by 18,332 on Monday, breaking the previous single-day record that was set just three days before.
The effects of the recently concluded ECQ in Metro Manila and select provinces will likely be felt in about two to three weeks, Vergeire said.
While the DOH has always assumed community transmission of the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant, Vergeire said evidence recently confirmed such in Metro Manila and the Southern Tagalog Region or Calabarzon.
Community transmission means there is a confirmed COVID-19 Delta variant case in a community but the source of the infection can no longer be identified.
"We are really assuming that there is community transmission but with evidence, kami nakikita namin ngayon sa Region IV-A at sa National Capital Region na wala na pong pagkakaroon ng linkage ang mga kaso sa isa't-isa," Vergeire said.
Filipinos were again reminded to strictly observe minimum public health standards such as the wearing of face masks and physical distancing. Those who have yet to get their COVID-19 vaccines were also encouraged to get inoculated at the soonest possible time.
Metro Manila mayors have earlier agreed to open up COVID-19 vaccination slots to neighboring provinces once they finish inoculating their residents.
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