Facade of the DOH main office in Manila. INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The country logged another 128 COVID-related deaths on Tuesday, raising the coronavirus death toll to 43,404.
The total deaths compose 1.55 percent of the 2.79 million cases so far detected in the country, based on the Department of Health (DOH) data.
Deaths due to COVID-19 are declining, according to Dr. Alethea De Guzman, OIC Director of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau. Based on the data she presented in a media forum, the country recorded 5,400 fatalities in August, 5,368 in September, and 2,261 in October.
De Guzman said the significant factors contributing to the decline in deaths are increased vaccination coverage and better health system capacity.
“Malaki ang dinami ng mga kama lalo ng ICU beds para sa COVID at naimprove ang ating (We have added many beds for COVID-19 patients and there were improvements in our) referral and triage systems, such that we were able to appropriately refer the moderate, severe and critical to our health facilities, and those with mild or symptomatic diseases are in community isolation facilities,” she noted.
A total of 40,786 patients in the country are still suffering from this disease. Of the active cases, 7.5 percent are severe and 3.2 percent are critical that are at higher risk for death. Meanwhile, 71.2 percent are mild, 5.1 percent are asymptomatic, and 13.02 percent are moderate cases.