OCTA Research Group said Saturday if coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases continue to go up, '' hospitals will be filled up by end of March until first week of April.

''We still have a window of one or two weeks. We are waiting for government,'' said Ranjit Rye, a fellow at the OCTA Research Group, told dzBB after coronavirus disease cases hit a new record of 7,999 since the pandemic struck the Philippines in March 2020.

It was the second straight day that new highs have been set. On Friday, 7103 COVID-19 cases were reported.

Total cases are at 656,056 out of which 80, 642 are active. the Department of Health (DOH) said.

''In the meantime, we urge people not to go out unless needed. If they have to go out, they should wear face masks, face shields, wash hands and maintain distance,'' he added.

Earlier, Interior and Local Government spokesman Jonathan Malaya he was not expecting new cases to breach 7,000. ''We have to adjust. We have to hire more contract tracers,'' he told dzBB.

OCTA Research recommended Friday that the government implement a soft MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) from the present general community quarantine, which Rye said is too loose. This should be for two to four weeks, he added.

Rye said under their group's proposed soft MECQ more people will be working from home and if businesses need to stay open, staggered working hours are encouraged. Public transport should be maintain, he added.

Thirty people died, bringing total fatalities to 12, 930. There were 597 people who rebounded from COVID-19, which placed total recoveries at 562, 484. DMS