”Community transmission” causing surge in new COVID-19 cases: DOH

July 8, 2020

The Department of Health (DOH) said the government is no longer able to find out where the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19) is coming from.

"Most of the cases we have now, we can no longer find any links... so we call it community transmission," said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a virtual press conference.

"The main factor in the rise in cases is mainly due to community transmission," she said.

Vergeire said lack of strict compliance to minimum health standards by the public is why community transmission has become more widespread.

"You can see people on the streets not practicing physical distancing, some not using masks properly. These are the situations that the virus really want in order to make us sick," said Vergeire.

She said there are also some cases where the virus is being carried by specific sectors.

"There are some coming from repatriates, those coming from another place, workers, and those from closed institutions," said Vergeire.

Vergeire said cases will continue rising if people disregard minimum health standards.

"We expect that cases will continue to rise as we open up because there is more contact between people and many are forgetting the minimum health protocols,” she said.

"We need to be more careful because, as of now, we can really see the lax in the enforcement of minimum health standards," added Vergeire. DMS