People flock to Divisoria Market in Manila on Dec. 22, 2022 for some last-minute Christmas shopping. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Philippines logged 832 COVID-19 cases in the past week, the Department of Health said Monday.
From February 20 to 26, an average of 119 daily infections were recorded in the country, which is 7 percent higher compared to the previous week.
Of the new infections during the week, no case was considered severe or critical, according to the DOH's latest bulletin.
As of Sunday, 370 cases or 9.1 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency said.
At least 291 or 13.5 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 17.9 percent.
During the past week, the DOH also verified 78 more COVID-related fatalities, citing late encoding of death information.
The deaths occurred in the following months:
- 2 in February 2023
- 3 in March 2022
- 12 in January 2022
- 3 in December 2021
- 4 in November 2021
- 4 in October 2021
- 19 in September 2021
- 8 in August 2021
- 5 in July 2021
- 2 in June 2021
- 3 in May 2021
- 3 in April 2021
- 2 in March 2021
- 2 in February 2021
- 1 in October 2020
- 3 in September 2020
- 1 in August 2020
'MABABA PA RIN'
Despite an observed increase in COVID-19 cases in some areas, the rise remains insignificant, the DOH said.
Speaking to reporters at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the DOH and the UP-National Institutes of Health on Tuesday, Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the country sees an average of 118 COVID-19 cases per day.
"'Pag tinignan at 'pag kinumpara, mababa pa rin kesa sa previous month averages natin. Although we’re not being complacent," she said.
The health chief said the agency continues to monitor and assess the state of COVID-19 in the country.
However, unlike other countries, which have completely reverted to pre-pandemic ways, Vergeire said the Philippines is taking a more careful approach.
"We can’t just lift it because other countries are lifting it. Ang sa atin, dere-derecho tayo sa pagmo-monitor, dere-derecho tayo, tinuturuan natin ang mga tao to live with the virus at hindi tayo nagkakaroon ng further restrictions. Just giving advice to people and guiding them and directing them kung ano ang dapat gawin," she said.
As of February 26, the Philippines has 9,327 active COVID-19 cases.
Since the pandemic started, the country has recorded over 4 million coronavirus infections, of which some 66,097 resulted in deaths.
To date, more than 73.8 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Of the figure, some 21.5 million people have received their first boosters while 3.9 million have gotten their second boosters.
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— With a report from Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News