President Rodrigo Duterte’s top Cabinet official just contradicted Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), saying there is no second wave yet.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the Philippines has yet to see a second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, as he distanced Malacañang from the announcement of Duque.
Duque on Wednesday told senators that the Philippines was already seeing a second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Alam mo hindi pronouncement yan ng Presidente yan or ano. Kailan ba lumabas yang second wave? That we will have to see because as far as I know, wala pa tayo sa second wave (That is not the pronouncement of the President. When did that second wave appeared? That we will have to see because as far as I know, we are not yet there.),” Medialdea told reporters on the sidelines of an event.
Medialdea said that Filipinos should not wait for a second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Wag nating i-expect, wag natin asahan pwede ba (Let’s not expect it please.),” Medialdea said.
Duque’s remarks were supported by Dr. John Wong of Epimetrics Inc. who also said that the Philippines was already on the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Philippines as of Wednesday has a total of 13,221 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 842 deaths and 2,932 recoveries./Stacy Ang
