A relative wails over the death of his loved one while being treated in the parking lot of Ospital ng Binan in Laguna on August 14, 2021 as the hospital hit full bed capacity amid increasing COVID-19 cases. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s COVID-19 death toll rose to 37,405 on Thursday after 177 more patients succumbed to the disease, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.
The deaths compose 1.54 percent of the total 2.43 million COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
The health department earlier noted that the percentage of deaths among COVID-19 cases in the Philippines decreased in 2021 despite a three-fold increase in cases as the country ramps up vaccination.
According to the DOH, the case fatality rate (CFR) in the country was at 1.47 percent so far in 2021 compared to 2.47 percent in 2020.
The DOH reported 154 deaths on Wednesday, 140 on Tuesday, and 146 on Monday.
The Philippines now has 165,790 active COVID-19 cases, of which 1.5 percent are severe and 0.7 percent are critical that are at higher risk for death.