WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
How many people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Philippines? How many have recovered, and how many have died? What is President Rodrigo Duterte doing about it? What should the public expect in terms of the economy and vaccine development?
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LATEST UPDATES
San Miguel’s waived toll for medical frontliners reaches P138 million
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said it has waived a total of P138 million worth of toll at its expressways for medical frontliners as of Sunday, December 20.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said the benefit, which started last March, is extended indefinitely. It covers the STAR Tollway, South Luzon Expressway, Skyway, NAIA Expressway, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
Medical frontliners “have been given special toll-free RFID tags that allow them to pass any of SMC’s expressways for free.”
SMC said it has spent over P13 billion on COVID-19 aid, including medical equipment, temporary isolation facilities, and food donations.
PH coronavirus cases top 459,000
The Philippines now has 459,789 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,754 additional cases on Sunday, December 20.
The DOH reported 36 new deaths due to the coronavirus disease, bringing the death toll to 8,947, while recoveries are up by 8,080, raising total recoveries to 429,134.
Of the total cases, 21,708 are active.
Two Cavite towns say they’re COVID-free in recent days
Two municipalities in Cavite declared on Saturday, December 19, that there have been no new cases of COVID-19 in their areas in recent days.
Dr Maria Hilda Bucu, head of the municipal health office and acting medical director of the town’s quarantine facility Noveleta MedCare Hospital, said they have maintained a zero COVID-19 status for 6 days. She added that 264 out of 269 patients have recovered in the town.
The municipal government also announced through social media on Thursday, December 17, that their last male patient has already healed.
Noveleta Mayor Dino Chua urged residents in a mix of English and Filipino, “Let us follow the minimum health protocols of the government for our safety this Christmas season. My advice to my constituents: limit your occasions or gatherings for our safety.”
In Naic, Mayor Junio Dualan also announced on his social media account that there has been no new COVID-19 case there for 14 days already. Naic has recorded 353 confirmed cases, with 339 recoveries and 13 deaths.
Bataan’s mega COVID-19 central facility inaugurated
ORANI, Bataan – Bataan officials have inaugurated the 1Bataan Mega Q – the province’s central processing and quarantine facility that will serve as a multipurpose venue for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The 4-storey building – located at the 1Bataan Command Center compound near the Roman Highway in Orani, Bataan – has a 300-bed capacity.
The building would serve as a processing, quarantine, and isolation facility for returning overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded residents who want to go back to Bataan.
“The facility will ensure that those returning to the province will not be carrying the virus when they are endorsed to their mayors and municipal health officers. Their families will be safe, especially this Christmas season,” he added,” said Bataan Governor Albert Garcia.
Garcia, said COVID-10 patients and those with mild symptoms can stay at the 1Bataan Mega Q from 10 to 14 days for treatment.
PH logs 2,122 COVID-19 cases; total at 456,562
The Philippines now has 456,562 confirmed COVID-19 cases, after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,122 additional cases on Friday, December 18.
This is the first time since November 29 that the country recorded cases above 2,000. At the time, the country reported 2,076 cases.
The DOH reported 25 new deaths due to the coronavirus disease, bringing the death toll to 8,875. Recoveries are up by 778, raising total recoveries to 420,666.
Of the total cases, 27,021 are active.
DOH: No deal for purchase yet during early talks with Pfizer
The Department of Health (DOH) asserted that no details for purchase were tackled by Pfizer officials during early talks with the Philippine government on its COVID-19 vaccine.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Friday, December 18, that early discussions with the pharmaceutical company covered the signing of a confidentiality disclosure agreement (CDA) that would facilitate the sharing of data.
Read the rest here.
Daily COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila may reach 4,000 if no safety compliance– experts
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire warns that there may be a 80% utilization of hospital beds by the end of January “if we do not act aggressively to halt transmission now.”
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