DOH: 1,674 new COVID-19 cases recorded from April 11–17, 2022

The Philippines logged a total of 1,674 new COVID-19 cases from April 11 to April 17, 2022, a 12% lower tally than the cases reported the previous week, the Department of Health said on Monday.

According to the DOH’s weekly case bulletin, the daily case average for the week was 239.

The daily case average was lower compared to the 272 recorded from April 4 to 10, with 1,906 new COVID-19 infections.

There were also 170 new cases reported on Monday, the DOH said in a later update, which is the lowest daily tally this year and the lowest since Dec. 21, which tallied 168 daily infections.

The country’s active cases further decreased to 19,923, with the nationwide tally now at 3,683,211.

Data also shows that 664 severe and critical cases are currently admitted in hospitals due to COVID-19.

Of the 2,842 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 450 or 15.8% were occupied. Meanwhile 4,164 or 16.9% of the 24,645 non-ICU COVID-19 beds were in use.

Of the new cases recorded in the covered period, one individual was tagged as a new severe or critical case.

More than 66.8 million individuals or 74.28% of the government’s target population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The DOH said some 12.6 million have received their booster shots.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently granted the emergency use authorization for the second booster shot for the senior citizens, the immunocompromised, and health frontliners.

DOH said Monday the implementation of the second booster shot for specific populations is currently on hold until the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) gives its final recommendation of it.

Meanwhile, at least 6.6 million senior citizens or 76.14% of the target A2 population have also received their primary vaccine series.

A total of 3,603,312 people have been counted as recoveries, while the death toll climbed to 59,976.

There were also 200 more verified deaths last week, according to DOH. Of this, 43 deaths occurred between April 4 to 17.

Of the 200 deaths, 51 occurred in April 2022 (25.5%), 21 in March 2022 (10.5%), 35 in February 2022 (17.5%), 36 in January 2022 (18.0%), 1 in December 2021 (0.5%), 5 in November 2021 (2.5%), 12 in September 2021 (6.0%), 14 in August 2021 (7.0%), 2 in July 2021 (1.0%), 3 in June 2021 (1.5%), 2 in May 2021 (1.0%), 8 in April 2021 (4.0%), 6 in March 2021 (3.0%), 3 in January 2021 (1.5%), and 1 in November 2020 (0.5%).

Further, the regions with the most cases in the past two weeks were the National Capital Region with 1,186 infections, Region 4-A with 473, and Region 3 with 352.

A total of 12,355 people were tested as of April 17, with 287 laboratories being able to submit data. — BM, GMA News