Virus cases fewer than 5,000 for 2^nd straight day

THE PHILIPPINES reported 3,651 coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the second straight day the tally fell below 5,000.

The brought the total to 3.62 million, the Department of Health (DoH) said in a bulletin. The death toll hit 54,690 after 69 more patients died, while recoveries rose by 12,834 to 3.47 million.

It said 16.5% of 29,970 samples on Feb. 6 tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), still above the 5% threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

There were 96,326 active cases, 4,150 of which did not show symptoms, 87,385 were mild, 3,029 were moderate, 1,447 were severe and 315 were critical.

DoH said 95% of the latest cases occurred on Jan. 27 to Feb. 9. The top regions with new cases in the past two weeks were Western Visayas with 523, Metro Manila with 484 and Calabarzon with 414 infections. It added that 36% of new deaths occurred in February and 52% in January.

The agency said 105 duplicates had been removed from the tally, 86 of which were recoveries, while three patients tested negative and were removed from. It added that 49 recoveries were relisted as deaths. Three laboratories failed to submit data on Feb. 7.

The Health department said 40% of intensive care unit beds in the country had been used, while the rate for Metro Manila was 32%.

Meanwhile, the government would focus on economic recovery during the fifth phase of its action plan against the coronavirus pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles told state-run radio.

“The focus of the National Action Plan V would be on economic recovery, reviving the livelihood of our fellowmen in light of the Omicron variant, which is currently the predominant variant in our country,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

The fifth phase would also focus on investment and job promotions to speed up economic recovery, he added. He said the government aims to boost vaccination efforts, promote telemedicine programs and increase the purchase of medicines against the virus.

Mr. Nograles said the government might announce the capital region’s virus alert level as early as Feb. 13. “We want our decision to be closer to Feb. 16 so that it would be based on the latest COVID-19 numbers.”

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2, the second most relaxed status in a five-tier system.

Various countries have started easing virus restrictions amid hopes that the Omicron variant, which was first detected in South Africa, might have peaked.

Denmark became the first country in the European Union to scrap all COVID-19 restrictions, including wearing of face masks, the BBC reported.

The continent could soon enter a long period of tranquility amid the pandemic due to high vaccination rates, the end of winter and the less harmful nature of the highly mutated Omicron variant, BBC said, citing World Health Organization Europe Director Hans Kluge.

Mr. Nograles earlier said the virus alert system would be kept to serve as a warning system for future pandemics.

The Philippines is set to allow the entry of fully vaccinated foreign tourists starting Feb. 10.

The Southeast Asian nation had fully vaccinated 59.87 million people as of Feb. 4, while nearly 60.66 million have received their first dose, data from the Health department showed. More than eight million booster shots have been given out. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza