PH reports deaths of 81 more coronavirus patients

FILE Stocks at Dhansky Metal Caskets are few because COVID-19 deaths increased the demand for coffins made in Sto. Tomas that the Department of Trade and Industry dubbed the casket capital of the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday 81 more deaths due to COVID-19 complications but noted that only six happened in January.

The additional fatalities raised the total death toll to 51,743, according to the latest bulletin from the DOH.

Aside from six deaths in January this year, six occurred in December 2021, eight on November, 19 in October, 24 on September, 12 in August, three in July, two in June, and one in May. These deaths were announced late “due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya,” according to DOH.

“This issue is currently being coordinated with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to ensure information is up to date,” the DOH assured.

According to the health agency, the latest death toll is 1.79 percent of all 2,888,917 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Meanwhile, the 2,780,613 total recoveries make up 96.3 percent of the tally, while two percent or 56,561 cases remain active.

Of the active cases, 91.6 percent are either mild or asymptomatic. In numbers, 1,837 are asymptomatic, 49,988 have mild symptoms, 2,954 are moderate, 1,470 are severe, and 312 are under critical condition.

Some 31 percent of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 34 percent of isolation beds, 27 percent of ward beds, and 14 percent of ventilators for COVID-19 patients in the country are currently being used.

In Metro Manila, 43 percent of ICU beds, 42 percent of isolation beds, 50 percent of ward beds, and 18 percent of ventilators are being utilized, according to DOH.

EDV