By GENALYN D. KABILING
The Philippines continues to deal with the first wave of COVID-19 cases and will take measures to prevent a second wave or another sharp surge of infections, Malacañang declared yesterday, following a different assessment made by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made a clarification on the country’s coronavirus situation and asked for public apology and understanding if any conflicting statement from some officials caused undue alarm. He assured that the country has actually started to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus infections this month.
Duque had earlier claimed that the country was actually now on the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, an announcement that surprised some lawmakers and other concerned groups.
“Tama ang ating Presidente dapat gumawa ng mga hakbang para makaiwas sa second wave. Tayo po ngayon ay nasa first wave…Ang alon tumataas, bumababa,” Roque said. “Pasensiya na kayo mga kababayan. Nagsalita na ang Presidente. Kinakailangan na gumawa pa rin tayo hakbang para maiwasan ang second wave. Nagpapaumanhin kami kung kayo ay naalarma pero ang katunayan po ang syiyensya naman po at importante ang pagbasa sa mga waves para alam natin ang gagawin na response. Whether be it a wavelet or a first wave, ang katunayan naman po ang importante na maiwasan ang second wave na mas maraming kaso ang magkakasakit,” he added.
Roque, however, clarified that Duque was not necessarily wrong but only gave a “different opinion” of the coronavirus data in the country. He said like in the practice of law, medicine may have one science and data but yield differing interpretations.
“Bakit nasabi ng ilang tao sa gobyerno na tayo ay nasa second wave? Alam ninyo ang medisina para ring abogado ‘yan. Iisa lang ang batas namin, iba-iba ang interpretasyon. Ganyan din po siguro sa medisina. Iisa ang siyensya, iisa ang datos, iba ang basa,” he said.
Roque explained that the country’s first wave of COVID infections started with the arrival of three Chinese infected with the illness last January.
He said the COVID-19 cases ballooned in succeeding few months but started to decrease this May. A wave, he said, is defined as the number of cases over a period of time of community acquired cases.
“Bagamat hindi pa po fully flattened curve, nagsisimula ang pag-flatten ang curve,” he said.
Roque said he consulted three health experts – Doctors Esperanza Cabral, Ernesto Domingo, and Minguita Padilla on the matter.
Also rejecting that there is a COVID-19 second wave is Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año.
He explained that the COVID-19 cases being recorded are still included in the first wave.
Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force will deliberate on the authenticity of the reported second wave of COVID-19 cases in their meeting. (with a report from Chito Chavez)