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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider MB Daily News Update

MB Daily News Update

Published Mar 16, 2021 07:30 am

Focus returns to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation as the number of daily new infections surged to its highest this year, and fifth highest ever since the pandemic broke out, prompting President Duterte to issue an impassioned call for Filipinos not to lose hope.

There, too, were updates on the vaccines, as well as the COVID-19 variants that have been causing much concern among the public.

These are among the top stories we have listed for your perusal this Tuesday morning, March 16, 2021.

  1. President Duterte tells Filipinos not to lose hope amid COVID-19 pandemic
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (Photo from the Office of the President)
  • PH COVID-19 Update: 5,404 new cases, 71 recoveries, eight deaths
  • There are no ifs or buts about it, and there should be no shortcuts, as the Department of Health (DOH) put its foot down that minimum public health standards should be followed.
  • Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases, the DOH said the healthcare utilization rate in the country was still at 35 percent or low risk.
  • The Philippine government expects delivery of 1.4 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, and 979,200 AstraZeneca vaccine this month – vaccine czar Glavez
  • President Duterte wants to prioritize vaccination of informal settlers with vaccine caravan in urban poor communities
  • The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines announced that it will start facilitating visa applications of foreigners, including Filipinos, who are traveling to China for business, work and family-related visits provided they have been fully inoculated with Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines.
  • There are, so far, 193,492 health workers who have been inoculated.
  • Russian vaccine Sputnik V nears Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergence use approval
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