New COVID-19 cases lowest since mid-July, DOH guarded on whether curve is flattened

September 7, 2020

The Department of Health (DOH) said new coronavirus disease ( COVID-19) cases fell below 2,000 on Monday, but remained guarded on whether the curve has been flattened as a UP research group reported.

New COVID-19 cases reached 1,383, the lowest since mid-July, pushing total cases to 238, 727.

Fifteen deaths from COVID-19 were reported by the DOH, placing the total to 3,890.

Earlier in a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said  the situation remains fluid.

"With all of these factors, We cannot say yet (that we have flattened the curve). It is really not yet certain," said Vergeire.

"Nothing is certain at this point in time," she added.

Vergeire added if the DOH says the curve of COVID-19 has been flattened,  people will let their guard down.

"We try to avoid saying those words because we don't want complacency among our population," said Vergeire.

But she said indicators in flattening the curve have already shown significant improvement.

They include reproduction rate, case doubling time, mortality doubling time, and critical care utilization rate, among others.

"With these indicators, we can see that, somehow, the situation has improved," she said.

"We can say that our strategies are working. Although not immediate, there have been changes," added Vergeire. DMS