A year into COVID-19 pandemic, Palace spokesman says contact-tracing still far from ideal | ABS-CBN

ADVERTISEMENT

dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

A year into COVID-19 pandemic, Palace spokesman says contact-tracing still far from ideal

A year into COVID-19 pandemic, Palace spokesman says contact-tracing still far from ideal

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS CBN News

 | 

Updated Mar 11, 2021 06:10 PM PHT

Clipboard

People queue to claim financial assistance for residents of Zone 19 in Pasay City as they remain under the community quarantine on March 10, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippines' contact-tracing strategy for COVID-19 remains far from ideal, Malacañang said on Thursday, exactly a year since the World Health Organization declared the respiratory disease a pandemic.

The country has yet to use a uniform contact-tracing app that would enable the government to isolate the close contacts of patients with COVID-19 and prevent its spread, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

"Talagang iyong tracing, naguguluhan na po ako. Nahihilo na ako lalong-lalo dito sa StaySafe app. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hindi pa natin ginagamit ito," he said in a press briefing.

(I am confused with tracing. I'm dizzy, especially with the StaySafe app. I don't understand why we have yet to use it.)

ADVERTISEMENT

Authorities should trace at last 32 people who came in contact with a COVID-19 patient, said Roque.

"Kinakailangan talaga nating mag-automate dahil I will have to admit, ito iyong pinakamahina natin sa response sa COVID-19 ngayon, iyong ating contact-tracing," he said.

"Malayo pa talaga iyong mga numero na nati-trace natin lalong-lalo na dito sa Metro Manila."

(We need to automate because I have to admit, this is the weakest link in our response to COVID-19. The numbers that we are tracing is still far from ideal, especially here in Metro Manila.)

The Philippines has tallied about 603,000 coronavirus infections, including cases of new, more contagious COVID-19 variants.

The number of additional daily cases in recent weeks has been higher than those reported in January and February. The increase has been attributed to the spread of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region.

“Iyong nangyayari kasi sa past 4 days, should not erase what we have done since the outbreak of the pandemic,” Roque said.

(What is happening in the past 4 days should not erase what we have done since the outbreak of the pandemic.)

The country is "managing COVID-19 very well, given iyong ating (our) limited budget for health," said Roque. A nearly year-long quarantine allowed the Philippines to expand its healthcare capacity and "we are now able to take care of those who may fall ill seriously," he said.

The quarantine, which will mark its first anniversary next week, has left businesses struggling and millions jobless.

Video courtesy of PTV

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.