More than 3M vaccine shots arriving this week

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

MORE than three million coronavirus vaccine doses made by AstraZeneca Plc are expected to arrive this week, according to the presidential palace, which could make up for delivery delays for vaccines from China.

More than a million AstraZeneca shots donated by Japan were set to arrive on Thursday night and two million more were expected later this week, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Thursday.

Japan has said it would donate ¥687 million yen worth of assistance to the Philippines for its cold chain facilities.

“The quick dispatch of these pledged vaccines is seen to contribute to the Philippines’ goal of herd immunity, along with the recently approved project of Japan and the Philippines for cold chain facility development,” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement.

The two million AstraZeneca vaccines were ordered under a global initiative for equal access, Mr. Roque said. About 170,00 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia would also arrive this week, he said.

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. is also expected to deliver its next batch of CoronaVacs next week, vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. told the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The government expects 70 million Filipinos to get their first vaccine dose by November, he said.

Mr. Roque said about 12.48 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given out as of July 7, 9.39 million of which were first doses.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 5,484 coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 1.45 million.

The death toll rose to 25,650 after 191 more patients died, while recoveries increased by 3,925 to 1.38 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 49,036 active cases, 90.9% of which were mild, 3.7% did not show symptoms, 1.5% were critical, 2.2% were severe and 1.62% were moderate.

The agency said nine duplicates had been removed from the tally, six of which were tagged as recoveries. It added that 152 recoveries had been reclassified as deaths.

The government this week told local governments to prioritize vaccine patients due for their second dose of CoronaVac from China. Sinovac Biotech Ltd., which makes the vaccine, has said its next delivery would get delayed.

It ordered local governments to completely vaccinate those who have received their first CoronaVac dose until the supply stabilizes. It also asked local authorities to use other vaccine brands for first shots.

Health authorities on Monday night said 256 more people had been infected with more contagious variants of the coronavirus, though most of them have either died or recovered.

Two more Filipinos have been infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus that has triggered a fresh surge in cases in India, bringing the total to 19, DoH said.

The agency said 132 more people have been infected with the Alpha variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, bringing the total to 1,217. Of these, 125 were local cases, one was a returning migrant Filipino, and six were still being verified.

Fifteen of the patients have died and 117 have recovered, it added. 

The agency also reported 119 new cases of the Beta coronavirus variant that was first detected in South Africa, bringing the total to 1,386. Three patients were being treated, 104 have recovered and 12 died, it said.

Three more people have been infected with the Theta coronavirus variant that was first detected in the Philippines, DoH said. All of them have recovered.