The rapid surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Visayas and Mindanao is "manageable," the Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday, June 6.
In an interview with DZBB, Health Undersecretary and Treatment Czar Leopoldo Vega reiterated that minimum health standards must still be followed and vaccination efforts must be scaled up to achieve herd immunity faster.
Vega said the Health department has observed rising virus infections in Western Visayas, Negros Oriental, Dumaguete, Northern Mindanao, Western Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, and Caraga.
"Manageable, pero kailangan talaga natin ipatupad ang minimum health standards natin. Kasi napansin namin, once there's a break of level of compliance dito sa communities or local government units, dun mo mapapansin talaga ang pag-rise (It's manageable but we still need to enforce minimum health standards. We observed that once there's a break of compliance in communities or local government units, cases rise)," Vega noted.
"Alam natin sa lahat ng regions, merong presence of variants of concerns. These are highly transmissible so kailangan natin maging compliant sa minimum health standards (We know in all regions, there's already a presence of variants of concerns. These are highly transmissible so we need to be compliant with minimum health standards)," he added.
The DOH has already sent augmentation of 10,000 health workers to virus-hit areas, according to Vega.
"Nagpadala na kami ng augmentation ng healthcare worker. Pwede na silang mag-hire ng augmentation ng healthcare worker sa kanilang ospital para ma-increase ang kanilang healthcare workers. Nagbigay na rin kami ng mga support, equipment (We have already sent a healthcare worker augmentation. They can now hire an augmentation of healthcare workers in their hospitals to increase their healthcare workers. We have also provided supports and equipment," he added.
Field modular hospitals were also set up across Zamboanga to relieve overwhelmed intensive care units in the area.