LUCENA CITY – At least 86 COVID-19 infected patients died in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region this month, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.
The Health Education and Promotion Unit of DOH-Calabarzon as of 3 p.m. on Friday, July 29, reported eight new COVID-19 fatalities in the region.
Cavite topped the list with 33 deaths followed by Batangas, 28; Laguna, 14; Rizal, 8; and Quezon including Lucena City, 3.
As of Friday, the total number of current active COVID-19 cases in the region reached 3,431. It was at 733 on July 1, the DOH Calabarzon data on its Facebook showed.
The regional health authorities did not provide information on the COVID-19 variants of the present active cases in the region.
As of July 29, the Calabarzon region recorded 510,988 COVID-19 cases, 493,984 recoveries, and 13,573 deaths since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.
Booster vaccine vs COVID-19
Meanwhile, the DOH-Calabarzon is targetting more than three million booster vaccination shots against COVID-19 in the region.
The intensified vaccination drive dubbed “SA BOOSTER, PINASLAKAS” kicked off in Imus City in Cavite province on July 26.
In a statement, Dr. Ariel Valencia, DOH Calabarzon director, said the campaign aims to administer over three million COVID-19 booster shots during the first 100 days in office of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The DOH official said the vaccination drive will target qualified persons in “factories, markets, and schools.”
“This is very timely, now that face-to-face classes will be allowed and the majority of the factories are fully operational,” Valencia explained.
The campaign also conveys to the public the importance of unified efforts of all stakeholders in building a “wall of immunity” with the full vaccination of at least 90 percent of the target senior citizens and 50 percent of the eligible population receiving one booster shot.
The vaccinators will go to places of work, transport terminals, community centers, commercial centers, places of worship, and schools to conduct the vaccinations, the DOH-Calabarzon said.
As of July 25, the DOH reported that fully vaccinated individuals in the region reached 10,473,312. At least 2,693,629 of them had their first booster shot while 203,089 already had their second booster.
The DOH-Calabarzon is targeting the vaccination of 13,435,568 qualified recipients in the region.
READ: Active COVID-19 cases in Calabarzon jump to 519