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MECQ needs to be extended, says COVID expert, citing ‘unstable’ drop of cases

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/04/27/20210426-covid-hospital-nkti-rtr-6_1.jpg"/><figcaption>Patients are treated on wheelchairs amid shortage of beds in the makeshift extension of the COVID-19 Emergency Room of the government hospital National Kidney and Transplant Institute on April 26, 2021 in Quezon City, which has declared overcapacity following a surge of COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila. The number of daily cases has slowed in the last two weeks under a stricter lockdown in the national Capital Region (NCR) but hospitals are still above the ideal operating capacity. <em>Eloisa Lopez, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA—The modified enhanced community quarantine imposed in Metro Manila and 4 nearby provinces should be extended for at least 1 more week to rein in the spread of COVID-19, a group of experts said Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;In agreement with the Department of Health and the medical community, we would like to recommend to the national government to extend the MECQ for at least 1 more week,&quot; Fr. Nicanor Austriaco of OCTA Research Team told ANC.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/27/21/extending-modified-ecq-in-metro-manila-sought-as-hospitals-remain-full">Extending modified ECQ in Metro Manila sought, as hospitals remain full</a></li></ul><p>The MECQ -- the third strictest of 4 lockdown levels -- is set to end on Friday, April 30.</p><p>The Dominican priest, who teaches biology and theology at Providence College in the United States, said the decreasing number of coronavirus cases in the so-called NCR Plus bubble was still &quot;unstable&quot;.</p><p>&quot;What I mean by that is that the decrease in cases is not comparable across all the LGUs (local government units) of the NCR Plus bubble,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;So, the concern is that if we prematurely enter into GCQ, then the cases in 1 LGU, which are unstable, will trigger spike in adjacent LGUs and we will resurge again.&quot;</p><p>Extending the quarantine measure will also help decongest hospitals from COVID-19 admission, Austriaco said.</p><p>&quot;In support of DOH and other hospital groups, we are saying, &#x27;Let&#x27;s do what we have to do now so we don&#x27;t have to worry about it later,&#x27;&quot; he added.</p><p>The Philippines on Monday breached the 1-million mark in COVID-19 cases, among the worst outbreaks in Asia. Nearly 17,000 have so far died from the disease.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/26/21/philippines-covid19-cases-1-million-april262021">Philippines&#x27; COVID-19 infections top 1 million with 8,929 new cases</a></li></ul><p>Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday he also favored extending the MECQ as the health systems capacity in NCR Plus had yet to improve.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/26/21/mecq-extension-francisco-duque-ncr-plus-metro-manila-covid-19">Duque favors MECQ extension in Metro Manila, nearby provinces</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><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=1672397" 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>Extending the quarantine measure will also help decongest hospitals from COVID-19 admission, Fr. Nicanor Austriaco of OCTA Research Team told ANC.</p>

Extending the quarantine measure will also help decongest hospitals from COVID-19 admission, Fr. Nicanor Austriaco of OCTA Research Team told ANC.