Commuters caught in the afternoon downpour wait in line for public transport while traffic builds up in Quezon City on May 25, 2023 as super typhoon Mawar nears the Philippine area of responsibility. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA (UPDATED) — The Philippines recorded 11,667 COVID-19 cases last week, the Department of Health's latest case bulletin showed Monday.
From May 22 to 28, an average of 1,667 daily infections were logged in the country, which is 6 percent lower compared to the previous week.
This is the 11th straight week that the number of daily cases topped 1,000, and the third straight week that the number of weekly cases was above 10,000, according to ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.
Of the latest infections, some 105 cases were considered severe or critical, the DOH's latest case bulletin showed.
As of Sunday, a total of 554 cases or 10.1 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency added.
This is 14 percent higher than the prior week, or 68 admissions more than last week's 486 cases, ABS-CBN IRG added.
At least 453 or 21.8 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID patients were occupied. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 23.2 percent.
According to ABS-CBN IRG, this is the highest COVID-19 ICU bed utilization rate in 22 weeks, or since the week of Dec. 19 to 25, 2022 when the DOH logged a 20.4 percent ICU bed utilization rate.
The number of occupied ICU beds for COVID-19 for the week of May 22 to 28 is also 16 percent higher than the previous week.
During the past week, no death was verified, the agency said.
Based on the DOH's tracker, the Philippines has 16,002 active COVID-19 cases as of May 28.
Three years since the pandemic broke out, some 4.1 million coronavirus infections were recorded in the country. At least 66,466 people have succumbed to the virus.