More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
Good news for those in the Eastern Visayas infected with COVD-19.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1121603 |
A total of 6,879 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in Eastern Visayas have recovered from the illness, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday.The number represents 90.11 percent of the region's 7,634 confirmed cases since March, DOH Eastern Visayas assistant regional director Carmen Garado said in a virtual press briefing."Almost 99 percent of our patients are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and the rest are severe or critical cases," she said.The health department also reported that 72 or 94 percent of infected patients in the region have died of complications.Garado said the majority of these patients are senior citizens and persons with other illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes, among others.
How can there be a 90% survival rate and a 72 or 94% death rate? I think there is an error here as 72 is .94% of 7,634. Either way the majority of death cases is from those who had existing serious illnesses. This is in line with the US CDC which noted a 6% death rate from COVID-19 alone with the rest due to existing comorbidities. Zamboanga City has noted an 85% recovery rate.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1122066 |
The city government here recorded a total of 2,170 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) recoveries as of Monday, or 85 percent of the total confirmed cases of 3,168 since the pandemic was declared in March.Even with the high recovery rate, residents must still continuously practice the minimum health standards to contain the virus disease, Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, city health officer, said on Tuesday.
Finally someone admits there is a high recovery rate from COVID-19. Too bad they won't go even further.
Cebu Pacific has been hit rather hard by the pandemic.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/311556/as-cebu-air-deals-with-empty-seats-costly-plane-upkeep-losses-hit-p14-7b |
Heavy losses continued for the operator of budget airline Cebu Pacific amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cebu Air Inc. disclosed on Wednesday a net loss of P14.7 billion by the end of September this year—a reversal of the P6.8-billion profit in the nine-month period last year—as the air travel sector collapsed due to flight restrictions and lockdowns in the Philippines and overseas.
While regular flights have gradually restarted in recent months despite the challenging environment and rising COVID-19 cases, Cebu Air stated this was “still far behind its normal activity level.”
Cebu Air assured investors it had ample resources to survive the crisis.
“The group believes that it remains a resilient airline despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 outbreak,” the filing showed.
It also implemented a host of cost-cutting measures, including laying off workers, reducing management pay and slashing capital expenses.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/763964/transmission-of-covid-19-in-evacuation-centers-a-very-strong-possibility-duque-warns/story/ |
The transmission of COVID-19 in evacuation centers is a "very strong possibility," Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned the public on Friday after Typhoon Ulysses rendered the "stay at home" pandemic response policy impossible for many Filipino families.
During a briefing with other government agencies involved in Typhoon Ulysses response, Duque advised the local government units and emergency responders to observe minimum health standards to avoid the spread of the virus among the evacuees.
"It's a very strong possibility kaya kinakailangang magmatyag ang atin pong mga safety officers na ipinapatalaga ng DOH (Department of Health) sa mga local government units," he said.
Only one family should be accommodated per classroom or tent as much as possible, according to Duque. He added that these temporary shelters should be properly ventilated.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/20/lgus-can-lift-covid-19-restrictions-to-grant-groups-media-access-to-ulysses-hit-areas-dilg-chief |
The Department of the Interior and Local Government has given local government units severely affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses the go-signal to relax quarantine restrictions to grant access to relief and rescue groups.
"Last week, I sent a memo to all LGUs in calamity areas and severely hit areas that health protocol restrictions can be lifted provided they coordinate with the (regional inter-agency task force) so they would know anong grupo ang darating (what groups are coming), rescue at relief groups," Interior Secretary Eduardo Año told reporters in Calamba, Laguna on Saturday.
"We will lift restrictions if it is for rescue and relief para mas mabilis ang actions natin (so action will go faster)," he added.
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/deped-cancels-bidding-ham-and-cheese |
The Department of Education (DepEd) said Saturday, November 14, that it cancelled the bidding of over P4.2 million "for the supply and delivery of ham and cheese for the DepEd Central Office Christmas celebration."
"It was [a] regular procurement but it is inappropriate at this time when our employees are severely affected by recent disasters. We have since reallocated the funds for the needs of those affected by typhoons Rolly and Ulysses and the ongoing COVID-19 effort for our employees," Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said in a statement.
"Other regional and division offices not affected by the typhoons have also pitched in to help our teachers and learners on the ground," Escobedo added.
The cancellation was made following the viral Facebook post of newspaper columnist Tonyo Cruz, containing DepEd's 'invitation to bid.' In his post, Cruz said that DepEd was supposed to buy 4,260 pieces of ham and 2,160 pieces of cheese, amounting to P4.278 million.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1361042/cebu-davao-close-borders-anew |
The cities of Cebu and Davao, the economic powerhouses of the Visayas and Mindanao, will shut its borders anew in the wake of the rising cases of coronavirus disease.Cebu City will be off-limits to nonessential travels starting at 5:01 a.m. on Monday, Mayor Edgardo Labella posted on Facebook on Saturday.
“We do not want to return to an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) so we need to be more vigilant while the virus remains,” he said.
In Davao City, Mayor Sara Durterte issued an order asking the Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield to restrict nonessential travel to the city effective 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1121926 |
At least 214 residents in Northern Samar were apprehended for violating the mandatory wearing of face mask and shield in a two-day operation last week, an official said Monday.The Task Force Disiplina, led by Philippine National Police, apprehended 109 violators in Catarman, the provincial capital, and the rest from the towns of Bobon, Rosario, San Jose, Lavezares, Biri, Gamay, Palapag, Lapinig, and Las Navas from Nov. 12 to 13."They were brought to their respective police stations and underwent counseling from the local health office on the importance of wearing face protection to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19)," provincial information officer John Allen Berbon said in a phone interview.Berbon said violators were subsequently subjected to appropriate police processing and disposition, and free face shields and masks were provided to those who cannot afford them.On Nov. 1, the provincial government enforced the mandatory wearing of face masks and shields in all public places and private establishments to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.These include transport terminals and loading areas for pedicabs and motorcycles for hire; restaurants, cafeterias and takeout establishments; government buildings; hospitals and pharmacies; churches; public markets, supermarkets and grocery stores; and other similar places or establishments.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/764368/russia-can-make-covid-19-vaccines-for-philippines-in-january-2021/story/ |
Russia can begin the production of COVID-19 vaccines intended for the Philippines as early as January next year if the country is ready to accept them, Manila’s Ambassador to Moscow Carlos Sorreta said Monday.
Sorreta made the statement days after the developers of Russia’s vaccine candidate, Sputnik V, reported that it was 92% effective at preventing people from catching the virus based on interim results of a large trial.
“It’s subject to doing our own due diligence on it but they can start producing for us because they have to produce it as it is ordered, as early as January if we are ready to accept it," Sorreta said at a Palace news conference.
“Of course, we need to be ready with some of the infrastructure para ho sa storage at the required temperatures. There’s a version of the vaccine that will not require extreme temperatures but it might be a little more expensive,” he added.
In August, the Philippines said it was ready to work with Russia on clinical trials, vaccine supply and production, and “other areas deemed practicable” by relevant Philippine and Russian agencies to address the COVID-19 crisis.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/311860/bsp-data-strong-dollar-remittances-in-september-keep-ph-economy-from-sinking |
The Philippines’ estimated 10 million citizens abroad once more stepped in to buoy the local economy in the middle of a crisis, driving a late third quarter surge in dollar remittance that helped ward off a worst case scenario earlier feared by the central bank.
In a statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said personal remittances from overseas Filipinos amounted to $2.888 billion in September 2020, which was higher by 9.1 percent than the $2.648 billion recorded in the same month in 2019.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1361730/house-panel-oks-creation-of-national-health-security-council |
The House committee on health on Tuesday approved a bill that seeks to create a National Health Security Council that would formulate an emergency plan to handle public health emergencies.
The panel approved the still unnumbered substitute bill for measures providing national health security, strengthening national preparedness and response to public health emergencies and establishing a national public health emergency council.
Under the bill, the National Health Security Council will be tasked to draft a health security national action plan — a country owned, multi-year, planning process that can accelerate the implementation of International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities.
“It captures national priorities for health security, brings sectors together, identifies partners and allocates resources for health security capacity development,” panel chair Helen Tan said during a virtual meeting.
“It also serves as an overarching process to capture all ongoing preparedness initiatives along with the country’s governance mechanisms for emergency and disaster risk management,” she added.
Among the members of the PHSC are the Secretaries of government agencies, Executive Secretary, Press Secretary, Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Security Adviser, Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, and President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1122095 |
A committee at the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a measure proposing the creation of a medical reserve corps, which is a priority measure of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The House Committee on Health, chaired by Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, approved the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bills 6809, 6821, 7007, 7157, 7267, 7274, 7331, 7361, 7365, 7383, and 7469, which would institute the medical reserve corps (MCR).
Tan said this would enhance the capacity of the country’s health system in times of health crises such as the current coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
She added that MCR volunteers would be assured of proper working conditions, compensation, and benefits, as well as legal liability and malpractice insurance.
Under the bill, members of the medical reserve corps may be called upon and mobilized to assist the national and local governments in their functions related to addressing the urgent needs of the country’s health-care system during times of crisis.
The MRC shall be composed of all persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing, medical technology, and other health-related fields but have yet to have their respective licenses to practice for reasons such as but not limited to not having taken and/or passed the licensure examinations in their respective professions.
The bill also proposes that members of the medical reserve corps may be called to undergo retraining to maintain and enhance their level of competency and readiness for mobilization in times of crisis.
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