DOH reports increase in COVID-19 deaths; 63% of fatalities unvaccinated

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the country experienced an increase in COVID-19 related deaths over the past months.

DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there was only an average of one death per day last June.

“There is an observed increase in the number of deaths over these past months,” Vergeire said on Friday.

“Noong dating Hunyo, we were just averaging one death per day. Ngayon meron po tayong naitatala for July, we have averaged eight deaths per day. Dito po sa atin sa August, ganoon din po ang nakikita natin nine deaths per day naman,” she added.

(Last June, we were averaging one death per day. Now, we recorded this July, we averaged eight deaths per day. It was similar last August, we saw nine deaths per day this time.)

Vergeire, based on their July 1 to August 14 data, said that at least 63% of these fatalities were those who were unvaccinated.

The acting DOH chief thus encouraged the public to get inoculated against the viral disease to prevent severe infection.

“'Yun lamang po gusto lang po natin magpaalala sa ating mga kababayan mas tumataas yung probabilidad na kayo ay magka-severe infection at maari pang mamatay kung hindi po tayo magpapabakuna,” Vergeire said.

(We want to remind our fellow Filipinos that there was a higher probability that they may get a severe infection and die if they don’t get vaccinated.)

The DOH OIC said at least 72.3 million Filipinos were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of August 18.

Around 6.8 million senior citizens were inoculated, while more than 9.8 million adolescents along with 4.5 million children were fully vaccinated, according to Vergeire.

She said more than 17.3 million individuals received their first booster dose, and more than 1.9 million have received their second dose.

Meanwhile, the Philippines on Friday reported 3,748 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide caseload to 3,848,449. — DVM, GMA News