THE Philippines is still at critical risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) despite the steep decrease in the number of cases, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Monday, January 17, 2022.
In his report during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People Address, Duque said the average daily cases from January 11 to 17 is at 34,923, 71 percent higher than the previous week, January 4 to 10, when the average daily cases was at 20,462.
He said the 71 percent increase in average daily cases this week (January 11-17) as compared to the previous week (January 4-10) is far lower than the 689 percent increase in coronavirus infection between December 28-January 3 and January 4-10 period.
The average daily cases on December 28 to January 3 were at 2,592.
From December 21 to December 27, the average daily cases were at 314, or 725 percent lower than the cases from December 28 to January 3.
“So kung makikita natin, 725 percent ang kanyang itinaas from the prior week and then sumunod na week, 689 ang itinaas, (then down by) 71 percent (increase),” said Duque.
“So bumabagal, bumababa po ‘yung porsiyento ng pagtaas ng mga kaso, Mister President,” he added.
(So it is slowing down and the percentage of increase in the number of cases is decreasing, Mr. President.)
Duque said the average daily attack rate has increased from 1.30 to 24.82 per 100,000 individuals, which further put the country on critical risk for Covid-19.
But he said the national healthcare utilization is at low risk level, with bed occupancy at 48.33 percent, intensive care unit utilization at 49.33 percent and mechanical ventilation utilization at 21,89 percent.
Duque said this can be attributed to the fewer number of individuals getting severely or critically sick due to Covid-19.
Of the total 290,938 active Covid-19 cases in the country, .51 percent were considered severe cases, while .10 were critical.
“Ang mild natin ‘yan po pinakamalaki po rito 95.22 percent po ito, 277,000, puros mild naman halos,” said Duque.
(The mild cases are the highest at 95.22 percent, about 277,000.)
“From July, nag-peak siya mga June, July, bumaba nang bumaba ‘yung admissions curve for the mild cases. Pero nakita niyo pagpasok ng January or end of December pagpasok ng January, sumipa ang daming mild na nao-ospital. At hindi po maganda na ganito ang nangyayari, Mister President, kasi nga ayaw natin ‘yung mild cases ‘yun ang pumupunta sa ospital,” he added.
Duque said mild cases should be catered in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities to avoid the crowding of hospitals, which are fit only for severe and critical cases.
He reiterated the importance of Covid-19 vaccination to avoid getting severely or critically ill due to Covid-19.
“‘Yung severe cases natin tumaas din mula noong nag-umpisang tumaas from July all the way tapos makikita natin bumagsak pagpasok ng January ‘no. So nagpapakita na talaga ‘yung bakuna natin ang laking tulong sa pagbigay proteksiyon laban sa severe and critical cases,” said Duque.
(The number of severe cases also increased starting July, then it dropped in January. So it showed that vaccination is really providing protection against severe and critical cases.)
“So mai-attribute po natin, tumataas ang kaso natin, Mister President. Sumisipa ‘yung kaso dati ang Delta, pagka sumipa ‘yung kaso, sumisipa din ‘yung ICU case, ‘yung severe, critical sumisipa din pero ngayon, nakita natin parang nagde-decoupling. Ang tawag, sir, decoupling o bumabaklas na doon sa admission curve na mataas. Mababa na ho ‘yung ating severe, critical, and hopefully, this will remain,” he added.
(Our cases increased, Mr. President. There was a spike due to Delta. Once there is a spike in cases, the utilization rate for our ICUs and severe and critical cases also increases, but now, we are seeing a decoupling. We now have low severe and critical cases, and hopefully, this will remain.)
So far, a total of 55,583,592 persons were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in the Philippines. Of this number, 5,131,203 have received their booster, while 59,031,437 got their first jab. (SunStar Philippines)