MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has urged the public not to misinterpret reports of a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Quezon City, stressing that the reported 265.22-percent surge was based on a relatively small number of infections and does not indicate a widespread resurgence of the disease.
The advisory came after the Quezon City government reported 146 COVID-19 cases as of July 1 and said infections had increased by 265.22 percent over the previous three weeks.
DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said the agency is coordinating with the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) to determine the cause of the increase, which appears to be limited to specific locations or health facilities where close contact among individuals may have contributed to the rise in cases.
“The Department of Health (DOH) and QCESD are investigating these cases that seem to be isolated in specific areas or health facilities, where the close proximity of individuals may have played a role in the recorded increase,” Domingo said.
He emphasized that percentage increases alone can be misleading when the actual number of cases remains low.
“Citing the percentage increase (“265%”) does not accurately reflect the small absolute number, and requires much caution in interpretation,” he said.
DOH data showed that Quezon City logged 125 cumulative COVID-19 cases as of July 4, representing a 68-percent decrease from the 389 cases recorded during the same period in 2025.
The health department said only 17 of the recent patients, or 14 percent, required hospitalization, while 108 cases, or 86 percent, were treated on an outpatient basis. Around 70 percent of those infected have already recovered.
Nationally, COVID-19 infections continue to trend downward, with only 719 cumulative cases recorded as of June 20, 2026, compared with 3,579 cases during the same period last year.
Despite the sustained decline, the DOH urged the public to remain vigilant by practicing regular handwashing and proper hygiene, particularly during the rainy season when influenza-like illnesses, dengue, leptospirosis, and water-borne diseases are more common./PN
