The daily coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) case count in the Philippines is still “within projection,” Malacañang said on Tuesday despite the surge in coronavirus infections in the country.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the number of Covid-19 cases logged every day should not be a cause for concern since the government is still “on track” with its target of controlling the spread of the coronavirus.

Roque said the country’s anti-coronavirus measures appeared to be effective because the daily Covid-19 cases are still below FASSSTER’s projected 25,000 Covid-19 cases per day. Funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), FASSSTER is a web-based disease surveillance platform that uses deterministic compartmental modeling.

“We are within projection for as long as we do not exceed 20,000 per day. That is the projection,” he said in an online press conference. “So I would say we are on track.”

The government earlier imposed the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and other areas to stop the further transmission of Covid-19 and its other variants, including the more transmissible Delta variant.

To date, the highest quarantine classification imposed in some parts of the country, including Metro Manila, is modified ECQ (MECQ).

On Monday, the country logged 18,332 Covid-19 infections, the highest number recorded in just a single day.

Roque said the imposition of ECQ does not mean there will be a “drastic” decline in Covid-19 cases.

“So, kung ang iniisip ninyo ay iyong (if you think [the implementation of] ECQ will result in a drastic reduction in cases, hindi po ‘yan iyong projection (that’s not the projection),” he said.

Roque reminded the public to continue observing the minimum public health standards to keep them protected from Covid-19.

He likewise expressed hope that the spread of Delta variant would convince more Filipinos to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“Sa aking pananaw, si Delta variant na ang pinakamabuting dahilan kung bakit dapat magpabakuna. At kung hindi kayo natatakot kay Delta variant, matakot ka kay Lambda variant. So kung gusto mong mabuhay, gusto mong maprotektahan ang iyong sarili at ang iyong mga mahal sa buhay, pabakuna na po tayo (For me, Delta variant should be the reason for you to get vaccinated. And if you are not afraid of the Delta variant, be afraid of the Lambda variant. So if you want to live longer and protect yourself and your loved ones, get vaccinated),” Roque said.

As of Tuesday, the country recorded 12,067 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 1,869,691.

A total of 1,709,724 have recovered, while 32,264 have died of Covid-19.

There are still 127,703 active covid-19 cases in the country. (PNA)