There is no cause for alarm regarding the recent uptick of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, the Department of Health told a media forum Tuesday.
DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said all regions remained under low-risk case classification while hospital admission rates continued to be manageable.
“We don’t need to panic. We don’t need to panic,” Vergeire told reporters.
“We already know that expected cases… might increase. But as long as our hospitals are manageable… nothing is too severe and critical, we don’t need to panic,” she said.
From December 5 to 11, the Philippines tallied 8,292 new COVID-19 cases, which is 7 percent higher compared to the previous week.
In the same period, the country recorded an average of 1,185 daily coronavirus infections.
In the briefing, Vergeire reiterated that an area’s positivity rate was not an accurate way to measure the virus spread.
Vergeire stressed that most people were now using antigen tests. The country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are those that tested RT-PCR positive by a DOH-RITM certified laboratory.
As of December 12, the Philippines had 18,355 active COVID-19 cases, DOH figures show.
Meanwhile, Vergeire said her appointment as the DOH’s officer-in-charge was not affected by the memorandum circular issued by the Office of the President in July.
In the memorandum circular, it stated that “all OICs of departments, agencies, bureau and office, non-CES (Career Executive Service) officials occupying CES positions and contractual or casual employees covered shall continue to perform their duties and discharge their functions until 31 December 2022.”
Five months since taking office, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to appoint a Secretary of Health.
During a media forum, Vergeire explained why her post is not affected by the memorandum circular.
“I am not affected by the memo circular because I am a career executive. This memo circular coming from the Office of the President, memo circulars 1-3, applies only to non-CESOs occupying CESO position,” she said.