10.8K more survive Covid-19; recovery count at 957K

MANILA – A total of 10,809 more people have beaten the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), raising the overall recoveries to 957,051 or about 91.4 percent of the total case count.

In its latest case bulletin, the Department of Health (DOH) also recorded 9,226 new infections and 120 new fatalities. These additional logs bring to 72,248 and 17,354, the active cases and death toll, respectively.

Since the Philippines recorded its first patient last year, the total number of confirmed cases has reached 1,046,653, with at least 6.9 percent undergoing treatment while 1.66 percent are deaths.

The Department of Health (DOH) said 94.9 percent of the active cases have mild symptoms, 1.7 percent are asymptomatic, 1.1 percent are in critical condition, 1.4 percent are severe, and 0.9 percent are moderate.

Data based on April 29 reports also showed that 16.8 percent of the 51,598 individuals tested turned out positive for Covid-19.

Nationwide, 64 percent of the 1,900 intensive care unit beds (ICU) are in use, along with 45 percent of the 13,600 isolation beds, and 51 percent of the 6,000 ward beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients.

About 44 percent of the 2,000 ventilators for Covid-19 cases are also in use.

In the National Capital Region, DOH data showed that 71 percent of the 700 ICU beds, 53 percent of the 3,800 isolation beds, and 62 percent of the 2,200 ward beds are occupied.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Saturday said the DOH continues to find ways to increase beds for Covid-19 patients.

“The major objective really is for us to decongest our hospitals at magagawa po lang natin iyan kung bababa po iyong mga kaso pa natin because we would like to still decrease mobility during this MECQ for two weeks (and we could only do that if we are able to bring down the number of cases. That’s why we want to decrease mobility during the modified enhanced community quarantine for two more weeks),” Vergeire said in a Laging Handa briefing.

“Gusto ho natin palakasin pa iyong ating health system capacity, makapagdagdag pa ng additional beds, makapag-decongest ng ospital at mas maiayos po natin ang sitwasyon dito po sa ating mga lugar (We want to further strengthen our health system capacity, add more beds, and decongest hospitals to improve the situation),” she added.