The Department of Health has recorded 200,000 cases of influenza-like illnesses, including COVID-19, in the Philippines amid concerns over the rise in respiratory illnesses in northern China.

Undersecretary Eric Tayag, DOH chief information officer, said the number of respiratory illnesses is above the usual 90,000 cases recorded during the season.

• DOH notes 49 pct increase of influenza-like cases compared to 2022

"Dati rati nasa 90,000 lang sa panahon na ito. Pero hindi naman lahat ng ito ay influenza, may ilan dun na tinesting namin ay COVID pala, 'yung iba ay influenza," he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

"Wala na tayong bakuna sa COVID. Hinihintay na lang natin na may magmamagandang loob na magdonate sa ating nga mga bagong COVID vaccine."

The DOH earlier said some 49.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been wasted including 26.2 million doses that were donated and 23.5 million doses procured by the government.

The DOH also revealed that they would not be appropriating any fund for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines next year.

• 49.7 million COVID-19 jabs wasted: DOH

INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESSES IN CHINA

In the interview, Tayag said the DOH is also monitoring the rise in respiratory illnesses in China, which is where the first cases of COVID-19 were first reported.

Footage on CCTV showed baby and children wearing oxygen masks, and crowded waiting rooms. Doctors have encouraged parents to seek medical treatment as quickly as possible if their children show any symptoms, especially for babies under three months old.

• Children in oxygen masks as respiratory illnesses continue to surge in northern China
• China reports no 'unusual or novel pathogens' in respiratory illnesses upsurge

"Ang nakababahala dito sa China ay sapagkat kahit hindi magkalapit na lugar ay may mga ganun silang kaso sa mga bata at marami ang nao-ospital. Ngayon ang pinagsususpetsahan nila ay isang uri ng bacteria, microplasma pneumoniae subalit hindi ito nakukumpirma. Patuloy ang testing," he said.

He noted that many experts believe the respiratory illnesses are not a new type of pathogen.

"Sa ngayon dahil sa China pa lang narereport 'yan, tayo naman ay kailangang maghanda na kung sakaling magkaroon din tayo ng ganung klaseng sakit dito kaya 'yung mga magulang, huwag na hindi ninyo pinapansin 'yung ubo at sipon ng mga bata. Kailangang matesting natin kung 'yan ay isa sa mga inaasahan natin o bago na dapat nating bantayan."

China's National Health Commission told reporters last week that the respiratory illness spike was due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens, namely influenza and common bacterial infections that affect children, including mycoplasma pneumonia. With Reuters and Agence France-Presse