MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has noted a decrease in the number of Covid-19 deaths being recorded in recent months.
According to Dr. Alethea de Guzman, a medical specialist at the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, the average number of Covid-19 fatalities per day, by date of death, is 59 in September last year, October (42), November (33), December (24), January (17) and six from February 1 to 10 this year.
De Guzman explained in an online media forum on Thursday that the additional number of deaths being reported in the daily case bulletin of the DOH is higher as it covers deaths from the previous months that were not immediately validated.
She noted that validation is necessary since the information being received by the DOH on some deaths is incomplete, such as details on the date or cause of death.
The Department of Health notes a decrease in the number of Covid-19 deaths in recent months. (Image courtesy of DOH)
“Hindi naman sila recent na mga deaths pero mga dati na, previous deaths na ngayon lamang nareport, kaya ang ating trends sa deaths ay tuloy-tuloy pong bumababa,” she added.
(They are not recent deaths. They were previous deaths that are only reported now. The trend in the number of deaths in the country is decreasing.)
According to De Guzman, the average number of deaths per day per month peaked in July and August last year, with 53 and 66 fatalities, respectively.
She said this matches the DOH data which shows that the number of new Covid-19 cases in the country was highest in mid-August.
However, there are 54 deaths that are not reflected in the tally because information on the date of the deaths is not yet confirmed.
Based on the latest case bulletin of the DOH, the Covid-19 death toll in the country is now at 11,469, which makes up 2.11 percent of the total 543,282 Covid-19 cases in the country as of Thursday.
Along with deaths, the DOH also noted a plateau or a downward trend in Covid-19 cases in the country except for the Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.