MANILA, Philippines — At least 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were destroyed by a fire that hit a government building in Zamboanga del Sur, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday.
According to Roque, a regional office of the Department of Health went up in flames.
“Kinokompirma ko po na hindi bababa sa 100,000 doses ang naapektuhan. Pero wala pa pong exact numero dahil iniimbestigahan pa po,” Roque, also the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesman, said during the Palace briefing.
(I confirm that not less than 100,000 doses are affected. But, there is no exact number yet as investigation is ongoing.)
“Mayroon lang ballpark figure na binigay sa’kin and I don’t want to say exactly what figure that is hanggang hindi po ma-kumpirma ni Secretary Galvez mismo,” he added, referring to COVID-19 vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
(A ballpark figure was given to me and I don’t want to say exactly what figure that is until Secretary Galvez is not confirming it.)
Roque, however, assured the public that the damaged COVID-19 vaccines would immediately be replaced as supply is not an issue anymore.
“Mabilis naman po nating papalitan ‘yan at dahil hindi naman po problema ang supply. Ito po talaga’y nangyayari. Hindi po talaga natin ninais na magkaroon ng ganyang sunog,” Roque said.
(We can replace it quickly because supply is not a problem. This really happens. We did not want a fire to occur.)
As of October 28, the government received over 100 million COVID-19 vaccines.