THE PHILIPPINES posted 9,107 COVID-19 infections in the previous week with a daily average of 1,307, according to health authorities.
The daily average from May 22 to 29 was 22% lower than the average cases per day from a week earlier, the Department of Health (DoH) said in a bulletin.
It said there were 77 severe and critical cases, accounting for 0.85% of the patients during the same period.
Ten new deaths occurred from May 22 to June 4.
DoH said 397 out of 2,099 intensive care unit (ICU) beds had been used as of June 4, while 4,101 out of 17,848 non-ICU had been occupied.
There were 559 severe and critical admissions, it added.
About 78.44 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated as of March 19, DoH said, including 23.81 million who have received booster shots.
LUZON
The COVID-19 positivity rate has been decreasing in most areas in Luzon, the country’s northern mainland, OCTA Research fellow Fredegusto P. David tweeted.
In Metro Manila, the capital region, the positivity rate decreased to a moderate 16.8% as of June 3, from 21.7% as of May 27, he said.
The lowest positivity rate was seen in Tarlac at 15.6%, down from 21.2%.
The positivity rates in the provinces of Bulacan, La Union, Rizal, and Tarlac also fell to a moderate level at the weekend.
Batangas, Benguet, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Laguna, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Quezon, and Zambales also all posted a decline.
GLOBAL CASES
Nearly two million new cases and over 12,000 deaths were reported globally from May 1 to 28, a decrease of 30% and 39%, respectively, compared to the previous 28 days, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a weekly report released on June 1.
It said 150 of 243 (62%) countries and territories reported at least one case during this 28-day reporting period.
“The situation is mixed at the regional level, with increases in reported cases seen in the Western Pacific Region and the African Region, and decreases in deaths in all six WHO regions,” the agency said.
Over 767 million confirmed cases and over 6.9 million deaths have been reported globally as of May 28.
The Philippines on Saturday night received more than 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines donated by the Lithuanian government.
On March 31, the DoH issued a department memorandum (DM) providing guidance on the management and administration of donated bivalent vaccines, prioritizing healthcare workers, senior citizens, individuals with comorbidities, and those who are immunocompromised.
“The DM also states that an individual may be vaccinated with the bivalent vaccines after at least four (4) to six (6) months after their last booster vaccination.”
The delivery of bivalent vaccines to the Philippines has faced several delays after a state of calamity declaration due to COVID-19 — which set guidelines on indemnification and immunity from liability required by vaccine makers — expired on December 31.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., who took office in June last year, just appointed on Monday former COVID-19 task force adviser Teodoro J. Herbosa as Health secretary. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza