Philippines marks 5th reporting week with less than 10K COVID-19 cases

The Philippines recorded 7,731 new COVID-19 infections from November 28 to December 4, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.

Based on the agency’s latest COVID-19 bulletin, the cases logged in the past week were 4% lower than the 8,032 cases recorded from November 21 to 27.

The daily case average for the past week was 1,104, down from the previous period's average of 1,147.

The past week was the fifth reporting with fewer than 10,000 new cases logged. 

A total of 134 additional verified COVID-19-related deaths were also belatedly reported last week.

These deaths were logged from July 2020 to December 2022.

Of the 134 deaths, two occurred in December 2022, 18 in November 2022, one in April 2022, one in March 2022, three in February 2022, 13 in January 2022, two in December 2021, six in November 2021, 18 in October 2021, 17 in September 2021, 14 in August 2021, six in July 2021, seven in June 2021, six in May 2021, six in April 2021, six in March 2021, one in February 2021, one in January 2021, two in November 2020, one in October 2020, one in September 2020, and two in July 2020.

Nineteen of these fatalities occurred between November 21 to December 4 alone.

Data showed that 595 severe and critical cases have been admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19 as of December 4. This was 9.1% of the total COVID-19 admissions, according to DOH.

Of the 2,413 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 534, or 22.1% were occupied.

Meanwhile, 5,177 or 25.3% of the 20,452 non-ICU COVID-19 beds were in use.

Of the new cases recorded from November 28 to December 4, there were two individuals tagged as new severe or critical cases. DOH said this was only 0.03% of the new cases reported for the week.

1,141 cases on Monday

Meanwhile, the DOH monitored 1,141 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday — the  fifth straight day more than 1,000 new infections were logged in the country.

It increased the total nationwide tally to 4,042,182 and decreased the active cases to 17,907, based on the latest DOH bulletin.

The total number of recoveries climbed to 3,959,525 while the death toll now stands at 64,750.

Metro Manila logged the highest number of new cases in the last 14 days with 5,067. It was followed by Calabarzon with 2,039; Central Luzon with 1,038; Western Visayas with 951 and Central Visayas with 836.

The country’s bed occupancy rate remains at low risk with 23.5% or 6,618 of the 28,169 total nationwide beds occupied and 21,551 vacant.

8,099 individuals were tested for the coronavirus on Sunday, December 4. 298 testing laboratories submitted its results.

Vaccination updates

Also, 73.6 million Filipinos, or 94.27% of the government’s target population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to DOH.

Of this number, at least 33,000 were vaccinated from November 28 to December 4.

The number of boosted individuals also increased to 20.9 million, of whom 142,000 have been boosted in the same period.

Meanwhile, at least 6.9 million senior citizens, or 79.37% of the target A2 population have also received their primary vaccine series.

DOH on Monday kicked off the three-day nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive from December 5 to 7, in a bid to ramp up the inoculation uptake among children aged five to 17. —with a report from Sundy Locus/NB/KG, GMA Integrated News