By Alec Go
The Philippines reported another record-breaking count of daily new COVID-19 cases at 39,004 on Saturday (Jan. 15), raising the current active case tally to 280,813 and total cases to 3,168,379.
Based on the Department of Health’s (DOH) bulletin, there are 303 critical cases, 1,472 severe, 2,925 moderate, 267,185 mild, and 8,928 asymptomatic.
A total of 23,613 new recoveries and 43 deaths were recorded, bringing the recovery and death toll to 2,834,708 and 52,858, respectively. Around 47% of the 78,774 reported tests on Jan. 13 are positive for COVID-19.
𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: As of Jan. 15, the DOH reported 39,004 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3,168,379 with 280,813 active cases.
DOH also announced 23,613 new recoveries, totaling 2,834,708. Meanwhile, 43 more have died, raising the death toll to 52,858. pic.twitter.com/P1LUagUlvx
— PTVph (@PTVph) January 15, 2022
The country’s intensive care unit (ICU) and isolation bed utilization are both at 48%, while ward bed occupancy is at 51%, and ventilator utilization is at 22%.
The National Capital Region’s (NCR) ICU utilization is at 55%, isolation beds at 52%, ward beds at 69%, and ventilators at 26%.
Doubling time, Omicron
In the Jan. 15 Laging Handa briefing, Heath Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said cases will continue to increase despite the longer case doubling time of four days from the previous 2.2 days.
She said the country’s active cases, currently at 265,509 as of Jan. 14, may double by Feb. 15. Vergeire also added that NCR has around 149,000 active cases.
“We are still yet to see the peak [of cases] na baka mangyari sa dulo ng buwan na ito, or even later, about second week of February,” she said.
The official said they “are seeing community transmission” of the Omicron variant in Metro Manila, noting that they have already determined the presence of local cases.
“Sa nakikita nating trend ngayon, ito ang characteristic talaga ng Omicron variant – iyong mabilis na pagkalat, ‘yung very steep rise in the number of cases as day passes, ‘yung doubling time na every two days na napakabilis,” she said.
“Mukhang talagang dadating ang panahon na madi-displace na po at magiging Omicron variant ang dominant variant dito sa ating bansa kung magtutuloy-tuloy ang ganitong klase ng transmission,” she added.
Meanwhile, several regions have been experiencing an increase in reported cases which is similar to characteristics of NCR’s situation during the start of the surge. – bny
