News Roundup 16 April 2020
Apr 16, 2020 • 2 min Read
Medical intelligence sleuths tracked, warned of new virus | INQUIRER.NET – WASHINGTON — In late February when President Donald Trump was urging Americans not to panic over the novel coronavirus, alarms were sounding at a little-known intelligence unit situated on a U.S. Army base an hour’s drive north of Washington. Intelligence, science, and medical professionals at the National Center for Medical Intelligence were quietly doing what they have done for decades — monitoring and tracking global health threats that could endanger U.S. troops abroad and Americans at home. On February 25, the medical intelligence unit raised its warning that the coronavirus would become a pandemic within 30 days from WATCHCON 2 — a probable crisis — to WATCHCON 1 — an imminent one, according to a U.S. official. That was 15 days before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.
Total lockdown possible if COVID-19 cases continue to rise — Palace | PHILSTAR.COM – The government is not ruling out the possibility of imposing a “total lockdown” if the number of people who contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to rise, Malacañang said Thursday. While the number of people who recovered from COVID-19 has surpassed the number of deaths, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the number of infected persons continued to rise even if the Luzon-wide quarantine has been extended by two weeks.
PAGASA: Warm and humid days ahead, with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms | Manila Bulletin – Warm and humid weather conditions will prevail across most of the country in the next few days due to the prevalence of the ridge of high pressure area and easterly winds. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the winds coming from the east will bring partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in the country. It added that the warm weather may trigger sudden but short-lived rains in the afternoon or evening. PAGASA warned of possible isolated flash floods or landslides in high risk areas during severe thunderstorms.
Govt to localize implementation of Covid action plan – IATF | The Manila Times – The government will localize the implementation of the national action plan against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the National Task Force (NTF) Covid-19 said on Thursday. NTF spokesman Restituto Padilla said mayors from the National Capital Region (NCR) have agreed to carry out the plan down to the barangay during their meeting with Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.