Delta variant surge in other nations a warning to PH: research group

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/06/01/20210531-covid19-swab-testing-7189-md.jpg"/><figcaption>Members of the Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance conduct COVID-19 swab testing for residents along Dupax Street in Barangay Old Balara on May 31, 2021, after reported 6000 people flocked to a charity food distribution event in the area and broke health and safety protocols last May 25. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The surge of Delta variant cases in other countries should serve as a warning to the Philippines, OCTA Research said Thursday.</p><p>The independent research group is only presenting data and not being alarmist contrary to the Department of Health&#x27;s remark, said one of its fellows Guido David.</p><p>&quot;We have to take this variant seriously, nakita natin ano ang ginawa sa--parang may warning na nga tayo ano ginawa sa India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam. Sana masunod natin ang mga warnings na nakikita natin sa ibang bansa,&quot; he told ABS-CBN&#x27;s Teleradyo.</p><p>(We have to take this variant seriously, we&#x27;ve seen what it did--we received a warning of what it can do in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam. I hope we can take advantage of warnings in other countries.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/26/21/covid-19-sufferers-in-indonesian-capital-rent-oxygen-cylinders">COVID-19 sufferers in Indonesian capital rent oxygen cylinders</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/26/21/covid-19-sufferers-in-indonesian-capital-rent-oxygen-cylinders">More international aid lands in India, as death toll hits record</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Nagbibigay lang kami ng perspective namin base sa datos. Sa palagay ko hindi naman kami alarmist. Binibigay namin ang numbers at projections namin based yun sa science.&quot;</p><p>(We just give our perspective based on data. I don&#x27;t think we&#x27;re being alarmist, we give our numbers and projections based on science.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/21/philippines-delta-covid-travel-ban-malaysia-thailand">Philippines bans travelers from Malaysia, Thailand due to COVID-19 Delta variant threat</a></li></ul><p>The DOH had made the statement after OCTA Research suggested a &quot;circuit breaker&quot; lockdown to arrest the spread of the highly transmissible variant, which the country has reported 119 cases so far.</p><p>&quot;Ito ang strategy na ginamit natin early this year nung February to March. &#x27;Di naman kami naging alarmist nun. Sinabi namin tumataas na ang kaso, kailangan may gawin na tayo. Nagkaroon tayo ng response a month later,&quot; David said.</p><p>(This is the strategy we used early this year in February to March. We weren&#x27;t alarmists then, we said cases were increasing so we need to do something. We responded a month later.)</p><p>Healthcare utilization is also a &quot;lagging indicator&quot; as it takes several weeks for a virus patient to get hospitalized, David added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/28/21/metro-manila-healthcare-capacity-at-moderate-risk-in-event-of-new-covid-surge-doh">Metro Manila healthcare capacity at &#x27;moderate risk&#x27; in event of new COVID surge: DOH</a></li></ul><p>&quot;&#x27;Pag tumaas ang healthcare utilization ibig sabihin madami na ang mga kaso, kasi di naman agad-agad nahohospitalize ang mga cases,&quot; he said.</p><p>(When healthcare utilization rises, it means there are already many cases because patients aren&#x27;t hospitalized right away.)</p><p>&quot;Umiiksi na ang window natin if magpatuloy itong increase ng cases baka next week nasa 2,000 na sa NCR from 1,000.&quot;</p><p>(Our window is decreasing because if cases continue to rise, maybe next we have 2,000 daily cases in NCR from 1,000.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1736758" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Private medical facilities have noticed a steady increase in cases over the past month, said Dr. Jose Rene Degrano, president of the Private Hospitals Association Philippines.</p><p>&quot;Palagay ko tama naman po yun na medyo higpitan natin. Masyado silang nagiging reactive, palagay ko dapat proactive sila, i-anticipate na nila na talagang tataas, hindi yung every time laging reactive sila. Para bang pag dumating na tsaka lang gagalaw,&quot; he said.</p><p>(I think it&#x27;s right to tighten restrictions. Government is being too reactive, they should be proactive and anticipate that cases will rise and not be reactive every time. It&#x27;s like they only respond when it&#x27;s right in front of them.)</p><p>Degrano earlier said private hospitals can always add more beds but would lack manpower to take care of patients.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/19/21/private-hospitals-short-staffed-in-event-of-delta-covid-19-surge-group">Private hospitals short-staffed in event of Delta COVID-19 surge: group</a></li></ul><p>The Philippines on Wednesday tallied 4,478 fresh COVID-19 infections as the country logged its highest positivity rate in nearly 3 months, according to DOH data.</p><p>The additional cases pushed the country&#x27;s total coronavirus infections to 1,566,667, of which 54,552 or 3.5 percent were active.<br/> </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1736763" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The surge of Delta variant cases in other countries should serve as a warning to the Philippines, OCTA Research said Thursday.</p>

The surge of Delta variant cases in other countries should serve as a warning to the Philippines, OCTA Research said Thursday.

Delta variant surge in other nations a warning to PH: research group | ABS-CBN

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Delta variant surge in other nations a warning to PH: research group

Delta variant surge in other nations a warning to PH: research group

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2021 09:44 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 29, 2021 09:59 AM PHT

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Teleraydo

Delta variant

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Philippines COVID-19

Guido David

OCTA Research

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