Lockdown in the Philippines Reinstated as Health Workers Warn of a Losing Covid-19 Battle

The Philippines announced a record 5,032 new infections on Sunday.

More than 5,000 medical workers have contracted the virus, including 500 in the past week, health department figures show.

A total of 38 have died so far.

Grim trajectory

The government has blamed poor compliance with virus restrictions for the sharp increase in infections which have been concentrated in Manila and the central city of Cebu.

In a bid to curb rampant local transmission, police have been deployed to force people who have tested positive for the virus and cannot self-isolate at home into government-run quarantine facilities.

Read also: President Jokowi Forms New Committee to Curb Covid-19, Revive Economy

Researchers from the University of the Philippines project the total number of infections to top 200,000 by the end of August.

Despite the grim trajectory, Duterte has been reluctant to reimpose a lockdown after the previous stay-at-home order took a heavy toll on the economy and threw millions out of work.

Data to be released on Thursday is expected to show the economy tumbled into recession in the first half. 

(Writer & Editor: Agence France-Presse) 

Source: http://u.afp.com/38tR