Morgue workers transport a cadaver into the Baesa Crematorium in Quezon City on April 9, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN/File
MANILA—The Philippines is recording an average of 40 COVID-19 related deaths per day in the first week of September alone, the Department of Health said Monday.
"Partial data for September show an average of 40 deaths per day," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.
From Sept. 1 to 5, the country logged a total of 199 deaths amid a new wave of infections fueled by the virulent COVID-19 Delta variant.
"We are closely monitoring Region 3, 7, NCR, 4A, Caraga, 12, 1 and 10 as these are the regions, which posted the highest total deaths for the first week of September," Vergeire said.
Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Visayas had the most number of COVID-19 deaths, with 56, 26, 24 and 22, respectively.
Caraga, Soccsksargen and Ilocos Region all reported 12 deaths while Northern Mindanao had 10 during the same period.
The country tallied its highest average deaths per day of 135 in April 2021, followed by 131 in August 2021 and 124 in May 2021.
Since the pandemic began last year, some 34,234 people have succumbed to the illness.
"At the national level, deaths have been increasing since the last week of July, and a new peak was seen during the previous week with incoming deaths report," Vergeire said.
She said COVID-19 fatalities was "still expected to increase" as the country faces rising infections and hospitalizations.
In a public address last week, President Rodrigo Duterte said the country's COVID-19 death toll was lower compared to other countries.
"America is suffering. Europe is suffering from a—more died; many died in Turkey; more died in Saudi Arabia," he said in Filipino.
"With us, it's just infection. Our deaths are not that many," he added.
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