The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday, Oct. 3, urged the public not to get complacent and continue to observe the health protocols as the threat of COVID-19 continues with 2,674 new infections recorded.
“Gusto ko lang po ipaalala na hindi pa po nawawala ang virus, nandito pa rin po siya at ito po ay magpapatuloy hanggang hindi pa tayo nakakahanap ng lunas talaga para dito sa sakit na ito ,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a public press briefing.
“Kaya kami ay nakikiusap sa ating mga kababayan na tulungan nyo po kami sa gobyerno na sana po ay ituloy natin ang pagtangkilik dito sa paggawa ng minimum health standards ,” she added.
According to the latest bulletin, the new infections pushed the country’s caseload to 319,330, with 58,606 active cases.
The majority of the newly reported cases are still from the National Capital Region with 1,046, the provinces of Cavite with 257, Rizal with 165, Batangas with 137, and Laguna with 121 infections.
The death toll went up to 5,678 with 62 new fatalities--- of these, two occurred in October, 47 in September, six in August, five in July, one in June, and one in May.
The number of recoveries nationwide increased by 459 to 255,046.
Vergeire said that the public should remain vigilant even if the country is already seeing improvements in its COVID-19 situation, particularly in the utilization of critical care facilities.
“Dito sa National Capital Region 81percent, 80 percent noong bago tayo mag MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) pero ngayon nasa 53 percent nalang po ang utilization natin. Gayun din po kung titingnan natin sa buong bansa, ang utlization ng ating health system components ay nasa less than 50 percent already ,” she said.
“Yung numbers po natin bumababa po yung ating mga bilang pero ito pong areas na mga specific may mga clustering of cases pa rin kaya patuloy pa rin po natin na binabantayan ,” she added.
“We need to live with the virus. In order for us to do that, we need to enforce and comply strictly with these minimum health standards,” she said.