The Philippines is experiencing an increase in the number of reported COVID-19 deaths, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
The Philippines has recorded 32,841 COVID-19 related deaths since the onset of the pandemic.
As of Aug. 24, the DOH has been recording 106 daily average deaths. This is close to the 135 average record in April 2021 during the surge.
DOH USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in the DOH Aug. 27 briefing that the recent death data include those who succumbed to the disease in the past months.
“Ang factor na tinitingnan natin talaga would be, ay ang pagtaas ng kaso, itong pagtaas ng deaths. But we are looking closely itong severity ng infections, pinag-aaralan pong maigi,” she said.
Vergeire also noted that many hospitals still have not complied with their mandate to increase their bed capacity for COVID-19 patients when there is a rise in cases.
This includes 59 of 443 government hospitals and 220 out of 843 private hospitals.
“Ngayong tumataas na ang mga kaso at marami na pong nangangailangan ng ospital, hinihikayat po namin ang ating mga facilities all over the country, please comply with the 30% for private hospitals and 50% for government hospitals,” she said.
DOH USec. Leopoldo Vega said the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC), the country’s hospital referral facility, has been receiving around 530 calls per day.
“Tumataas talaga ito compared ito sa first week of July na ang incoming calls namin nasa 110 to 120 calls, so medyo talagang tumataas at saka kinakaya naman po namin ‘yung number of calls ngayon compared nung July,” he said.
Amid the threat of the Delta variant, the DOH said it is close to strengthening the country’s biosurveillance capacity after the approval of P295 million funds for Philippine Genome Center’s (PGC) expansion in Visayas and Mindanao.
“Yung pong perang naibigay, ibibili na po ng reagents, mga kits at kailangang equipment. And pagkatapos noon, hopefully in about 1 to one and a half months, sana po makapag-umpisa na po tayo,” Vergeire said.
An infectious disease expert on Friday said the country should also keep vaccinating its population to lessen the number of patients being admitted to hospitals.
“Ang bilis po talaga noong kalat dito, and the best way to protect the health system is to reduce the proportion who will need hospitalization and the only way is really with as high a vaccination rate as possible,” Dr. Edsel Salvana said.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez reported to President Duterte on Aug. 26 that 194.89 million doses have been secured for the country to cover 100.5 million recipients.
“Wala ho tayong problema sa pera. May financing na lahat iyan, and we don’t have to worry about money here, we already have the money ready to be paid for these doses,” he said. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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