[ad_1]
The Philippine coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case burden reached 470,650 on Monday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 766 new infections due to six labs not submitting data on time.
Monday’s figure was the fewest new cases reported since July 14.
“We continue to see a decrease in cases during the holiday season (Dec 24-Jan 4). This is due to the decrease in the number of patients being tested, as many people want to celebrate the parties at home, ”the department said.
Davao City had the highest number of recent infections with 60, followed by Quezon City with 46, Benguet with 41, Laguna with 39 and Rizal with 37.
Recoveries now total 438,780 after 104 more patients recovered from respiratory illness, while the death toll rose to 9,124 with 15 new deaths.
There are also 22,746 active cases in treatment or quarantine.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte’s revelation that some soldiers had been vaccinated with China’s Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19 caused officials to struggle to explain who was vaccinated and how despite the lack of regulatory approval.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed that members of the Presidential Security Group were the first to be vaccinated against COVID-19 “due to the nature of their mission and role.”
The Secretary of the Interior, Eduardo Año, added that some members of the cabinet had also received injections of a vaccine that supposedly had been granted an emergency use authorization (USA).
The Food and Drug Administration maintained that it has not yet issued the USA for any COVID-19 vaccines.
DOH vowed to investigate the unauthorized vaccination of certain individuals, including members of the military.
Malacañang, for his part, denied that Duterte approved the vaccines even though the head of the Philippine army, Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, said that the order was “from the chain of command of the Armed Forces” headed by the Commander in Chief.
Duterte will address the nation again later Monday to discuss his latest directives on quarantine restrictions ahead of the new year.—AOL, GMA News
