A vendor passes by a mural depicting the COVID-19 pandemic along Pedro Gil, Manila on May 10, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines recorded 12,414 COVID-19 cases last week, up 31 percent in daily infections, the Department of Health said Monday.
From May 8 to 14, the daily average of COVID-19 cases has increased to 1,773, the agency said.
This is the highest number of weekly cases in 30 weeks, or since the week of October 10 to October 16, when the DOH logged 15,173 cases, according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.
This is also the 9th straight week that the number of weekly cases is above 1,000.
The number of cases logged for May 8 to May 14 is 31 percent higher than the previous week, ABS-CBN IRG also said.
Of the latest infections, some 53 cases were considered severe or critical, the DOH's latest case bulletin showed.
As of Sunday, some 437 cases or 8.8 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency added.
This is 7 percent higher than the prior week, or 27 admissions more than last week's 410 cases, ABS-CBN IRG said.
At least 394 or 18.8 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID patients were occupied. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 21.7 percent.
No death occurred from May 1 to 14, the DOH said.
Based on the DOH's COVID-19 Tracker, the Philippines has 15,891 active COVID-19 cases as of May 14.
More than 3 years since the pandemic broke out, some 4.1 million coronavirus infections were logged in the country. Some 66,453 people have died from the disease.
The World Health Organization has declared that the COVID-19 no longer constitutes a global health emergency.
But the DOH called on the public not to be complacent as the pandemic is not yet over.
Filipinos are urged to continue wearing mask in high-risk settings, isolate when sick and get vaccinated and boosted.
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