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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH remains prepared should WHO lift the public health emergency on Covid-19

PH remains prepared should WHO lift the public health emergency on Covid-19

Published Jan 17, 2023 06:25 pm

The same restrictions will still remain according to the Department of Health (DOH) even in the event that the World Health Organization (WHO) lifts the public health emergency due to Covid-19.

People flock to Ilaya in Binondo, Manila on Jan. 2, 2022. Metro Manila will be under Alert Level 3 starting Jan. 3 until Jan. 15, 2022 due to the rise of COVID-19 cases. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)

In a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 17, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that these restrictions are not so strict but there are safeguards in place to rely on in case Covid-19 cases would rise again.

"If and when the public health emergency will be lifted, we know that the virus is here to stay. So the Philippines will continue to be cautious and vigilant," she explained.

On January 27, officials of the WHO is set to discuss with its Emergency Committee whether the COVID-19 pandemic still presents a global emergency.

In the country, DOH reported that from a decline, Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and Mindanao are showing an incremental increase in cases while the remaining areas are at a plateau. Nationally, cases and severe/critical admissions are beginning to plateau after the recent slight increase.

In its weekly case bulletin on Monday, Jan. 16, DOST said that the daily average cases are currently at 419 which is 6 percent lower than the cases on Jan. 2 to Jan. 8.

DOH also recorded one case tagged under severe and critical cases which is 0.04 percent of new cases. Currently, there are 567 severe and critical admissions which are 11.1 percent of total Covid-19 admissions.

On the other hand, 402 out of 2,340 or 17.2 percent of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds are being used, while 3,917 out of 19,607 or 20.0 percent of non-ICU beds are being utilized.

In terms of Covid-19 vaccination, a total of 73,803,831 individuals have been fully vaccinated while 21,241,707 have received boosters or additional doses.

Related Tags

department of health DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire covid-19 Department of Health (DOH) COVID-19 CASES DOH COVID-19 CASES
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