The entire Philippines is now minimal risk to Covid-19, according to the Department of Health, but government urges Filipino to remain mindful of basic health protocols.
In an online media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that Covid-19 cases nationwide is on a slow decline with an average of 490 cases reported daily for the March 15 to 21 period.
The current average of infections is 13 percent lower than the previous week which recorded 564 cases. “Based on our data, the severe and critical cases went down to 805) 1,874 since mid-January,” Vergeire said.
Data from the National Admissions by Health Status showed that as of last March 29, 1,403 admissions are asymptomatic cases; 2,173 are mild; and 2,498 are moderate.
Vergeire said the downtrend in the number of Covid-19 infections and severe and critical admissions could be attributed to increased vaccination coverage for the primary series of jabs and the booster shots.
The fourth Bayanihan Bakunahan national vaccination drive has already surpassed its vaccination targets for the first and second doses – 134% for the first dose abd about 115% for the second dose, the DOH said Tuesday.
Some 70% of the booster shots target population, are now also fully vaccinated and immunized, it added.
The fourth national vaccination drive was originally scheduled from March 10 to 12 but this was extended up to March 18 to reach more senior citizens for the primary series and fully vaccinated individuals for booster shots.
Vergeire said more than 65.2 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated, 70.4 million received at least one dose of Covid-19 jab and 11.6 million got their booster shots.
