The Department of Health (DOH) expressed optimism that the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases being detected daily in the country would further decline below 2,000.

But to achieve that, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said that everyone has an important role to play.

“If we continue to do this, with consistency and cadence, I think we will be able to bring it down to even below 2,000 cases a day,” said Duque during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Duque also said that he is in favor of placing Metro Manila under Alert Level 2 but certain conditions must be strictly followed.

“Yes, of course. I do. But, provided that this is really a condition to strict compliance to minimum public health standards, avoidance of really large and crowded areas,” he said.

The Health chief said it is important for the different local government units (LGUs) to continue their aggressive response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They were able to do the containment measure and are successful--- and reflected by the fact that cases are going down. We have to have consistency,” he said.

“I have been advising the LGUs that this is the time to do mopping up operations, When the cases are low, they should exert all effort to identify still ongoing transmission,” he said.

Duque also reminded the public to strictly comply with the health protocols.

“We cannot just put our guards down by setting aside minimum public health standards,” he said.

If the “gains that we achieved so far” were maintained, Duque said that the country may have a better Christmas this year.

“We are all hopeful. We all join hands together in making sure that we achieve a merrier, a more lively, and meaningful Christmas,” he said.

On Tuesday, the DOH recorded 2,303 new COVID-19 cases— the lowest single-day new infections recorded in nearly eight months.

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