As PH virus cases decline, public warned vs complacency: DOH

MANILA - The Department of Health on Thursday urged the public to remain vigilant as the number of COVID-19 infections in the Philippines dropped. 

The country on Wednesday reported 9,868 fresh COVID-19 cases, the second straight day that the number of new infections was below 10,000. The lower case count was due to lower laboratory output last Monday, the DOH said.

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The agency had "identified and analyzed" all factors such as lower laboratory outputs, a decrease in test outputs resulting in lower positivity rate and fewer hospital admissions, said DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

"With all of these factors validated at napag-aralan, we are confirming cases are declining pero hindi po ito senyales para tayo ay maging complacent," she said in a virtual public briefing.

(With all of these factors validated at and studied, we are confirming cases are declining but it's not a sign to be complacent.)

"Alalahanin po natin na bagamat bumababa ang mga kaso, ang atin pong mga ospital ay meron pa rin pong pagkapuno."

(Let's be reminded that although case shave declines, our hospitals remain somewhat full.)

Utilization of intensive care unit beds is at 68 percent, Vergeire said.

"Kailangan pa rin mapag-ingatan, patuloy na mapababa at madecongest ang mga ospital so that we can be able to move on and open up some sectors in our economy," she said.

(We still need to be careful, continue the decrease in transmission and decongest hospitals so that we can be able to move on and open up some sectors in our economy.)

The decrease in lower laboratory outputs is due to the use of antigen tests, according to Vergeire.

"Kailangan nirereport natin sa mga kinauukulan para masasama at makukumpleto ang datos natin," she said.

(We need to report these to authorities so it can be included in our data and so that our data will be complete.)