By Chito Chavez
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday disputed the pronouncement of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that the country is in its second wave of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) He explained that the COVID-19 cases being recorded presently are still included in the first wave. Año in an interview over GMA News said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will deliberate on the authenticity of the reported second wave of COVID-19 cases at their meeting. “Regarding sa second wave, pag-uusapan talaga ‘yan ng IATF (This will be discussed in the IATF meeting),” Año said. In a Senate Committee of the Whole Hearing on Wednesday, Duque said they considered the first three cases, which are all imported, as the first wave saying the country is now in the second wave of the COVID-19 infection. Duque said his assessment is based on the findings of expert epidemiologists that the first wave occurred sometime in January when the country had three COVID-19 cases from three Chinese nationals from Wuhan, China where the infection originated. He explained that the first wave of COVID-19 is not yet widespread saying that measures are in place to flatten the curve now that the country is in its second wave. As of Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has risen to 13,221 with the death toll standing at 842 and recoveries now at 2,932.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) He explained that the COVID-19 cases being recorded presently are still included in the first wave. Año in an interview over GMA News said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will deliberate on the authenticity of the reported second wave of COVID-19 cases at their meeting. “Regarding sa second wave, pag-uusapan talaga ‘yan ng IATF (This will be discussed in the IATF meeting),” Año said. In a Senate Committee of the Whole Hearing on Wednesday, Duque said they considered the first three cases, which are all imported, as the first wave saying the country is now in the second wave of the COVID-19 infection. Duque said his assessment is based on the findings of expert epidemiologists that the first wave occurred sometime in January when the country had three COVID-19 cases from three Chinese nationals from Wuhan, China where the infection originated. He explained that the first wave of COVID-19 is not yet widespread saying that measures are in place to flatten the curve now that the country is in its second wave. As of Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has risen to 13,221 with the death toll standing at 842 and recoveries now at 2,932.