The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday, Oct. 4, reported that 18,065 new patients have recovered from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while the nationwide caseload was pushed to more than 322,000. 

In its latest case bulletin, the total number of recoveries has gone up to 273,079. It also noted that 3,190 new infections have been recorded, bringing the total number of active cases to 43,642. Since the first recorded infection last January, the country’s overall tally currently stands at 322,497.

Of the active cases, 85.4 percent are mild, 9.2 percent are asymptomatic, 1.7 percent are severe, and 3.8 percent are in critical condition.

The bulk of the new cases still came from the National Capital Region, which has 1,279. It was followed by the provinces of Rizal with 212, Laguna with 147, Cavite with 146, and Bulacan with 122.

Deaths linked to COVID-19 spiraled upward to 5,776 with 100 new fatalities. The DOH noted that of the new deaths, 16 occurred in October, 57 in September, 11 in August, 12 in July, three in June, and one in May. 

Meanwhile, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the government is now preparing for the hosting of the World Health Organization-led (WHO) solidarity trials for vaccines that is expected to begin by the end of this month.

“Lahat po ng preparatory activities inaayos na natin, so that pag sinabi na ng WHO na we could already start, mauumpisahan po natin agad iyan (We are already arranging all the preparatory activities, so when the WHO says that we could already start, we can begin  that immediately),” said Vergeire in a recent press briefing.

Vergeire said that the DOH is already preparing the agreement with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and local government units for the implementation of the clinical study.

Also, the government is preparing the budget needed for the solidarity trials. Last August, the DOST said that the government will allocate P89.1 million for the country’s participation in the said global initiative.

Vergeire said the WHO has yet to release the list of potential vaccines that would be included in the clinical trials.

“Ang WHO ay nagbigay sa atin ng committment noon na ‘yung listahan ng mga bakunang makakasali dito sa WHO solidarity trial for vaccines at saka ‘yung sites na paggagawan nitong ating implementation of the immunization ay ilalabas din nila by the 3rd week of October,” she said. “Hahantayin lang po natin kasi meron din silang binibigay na tentative date of starting the trials by the end of October,” she added.

(The WHO gave us a commitment already that the list of vaccines and sites for the trials will be released by the third week of October. We just have to wait because they also gave a tentative date for beginning the trials, which is by the end of October).