Tag: covid

Entire PHL now at “critical risk” as Omicron declared “dominant variant”; 3,663% growth in COVID cases noted

But those infected with Omicron variant exhibiting “less severe” symptoms, faster incubation period, says DOH   (Eagle News) – The entire country is now considered under “critical risk” as the Omicron variant is declared as the dominant COVID-19 variant in the Philippines, according to the Department of Health. In fact, the highly infectious Omicron variant has overtaken the Delta variant as of the latest genome sequencing data, said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III noting that […]

President Duterte directs purchase of more RT-PCR machines and test kits amid spike in COVID cases

DOH says P7 billion outlay available to buy more RT-PCR machines, test kits   (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Department of Health to buy more RT-PCR tests so that more people could be tested for COVID-19, and help in the immediate detection, isolation and treatment of cases. Duterte, during his Talk To The People on Monday, January 10, asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to buy the needed RT-PCR tests, considered the […]

Pandemic spirals, but deaths still drop

    PARIS, France (AFP) — The number of Covid-19 cases soared by nearly two thirds across the world this week, but pandemic-linked deaths continued to drop. Here is the global state of play from an AFP database: – Nearly two million daily cases – The average number of new daily coronavirus cases increased to 1.94 million, a 64 percent increase compared to the previous week, according to an AFP count to Thursday. The confirmed […]

PM mourns ‘terrible toll’ as UK tops 150,000 virus deaths

More than 150,000 people have died after catching coronavirus in the United Kingdom, the government said Saturday, in a tragic milestone for one of the worst affected countries in Europe. Prime Minister Boris Johnson posted a message on Twitter saying: “Coronavirus has taken a terrible toll on our country and today the number of deaths recorded has reached 150,000.” The government reported that deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test had reached 150,057 […]

As cases rise, India fears another Covid catastrophe

  by Aishwarya KUMAR Agence France Presse NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Haunted by the spectre of last year’s crisis, India is bracing for a deluge of Covid-19 cases, with authorities of various megacities bringing in restrictions in a bid to keep infections in check. Case numbers have yet to match the enormous figures seen last spring, when thousands died each day and the Hindu city of Varanasi maintained round-the-clock funeral pyres for the mass […]

“Fleeting contact” is all it takes for Omicron to spread, says PHL health expert

But Omicron will only have “mild” effect on fully vaccinated, says Dr. Salvana who notes that PHL can ride the Omicron wave with more vaccinations, booster shots (Eagle News) – A “fleeting contact” is all it takes for the Omicron variant to spread, unlike previous COVID-19 virus variants that takes at least 15 minutes between close contacts to be transmitted. Dr. Edsel Salvana from the Department of Health Technical Advisory group on infectious diseases, explained […]

More cities from Luzon and Visayas placed under Alert Level 3 amid spike in COVID-19 cases

  (Eagle News) — More areas in the country, particularly in Luzon and the Visayas regions, were placed under the higher Alert Level 3 following the noted increase in COVID-19 cases in these areas. Based on the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force, certain areas from the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Regions 1 to 7, were escalated to Alert Level 3 that would take effect on Sunday, January 9 until January 15. These are […]

DOH checking “all passengers” from flights of 10 returning Overseas Filipinos confirmed to be Omicron cases

DOH urges passengers of said flights to contact DOH, their LGUs if they experience symptoms after arrival in the PHL   (Eagle News) – The Department of Health is “verifying the test results and health status of all passengers” of the flights where the 10 Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who recently tested positive for the Omicron variant. In a statement, the DOH said that this is “to determine if there are other confirmed cases or […]

Macau bans international passenger flights for two weeks

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Macau has announced a two-week ban on any inbound passenger flights from outside of China after three coronavirus cases were found in passengers arriving from overseas. The move came the same day Hong Kong banned flights from eight nations and ramped up social distancing measures, leaving the two neighbouring Chinese territories even more cut off from the rest of the world. Like mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have […]

Hong Kong ramps up virus controls, bans flights from eight countries including the PHL

2-week ban on flights from 8 countries to take effect starting Saturday midnight   Hong Kong announced strict new anti-coronavirus controls on Wednesday, banning flights from eight nations, shuttering bars and gyms and cancelling evening restaurant dining after the Omicron variant was detected within the city. The restrictions are the latest economic blow to an international business hub pursuing a zero-Covid strategy that has kept cases low but left residents cut off from the rest […]

NCR now at critical risk classification for COVID, entire PHL at high-risk after spike in cases, says DOH chief

1,475 percent two-week growth rate for COVID-19 observed in Metro Manila   (Eagle News) – The Philippines is now at a high-risk classification for COVID-19 due to a 448 percent two-week growth rate, with Metro Manila considered at critical risk, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People, Duque noted the spike in COVID-19 cases as local transmission of the Omicron variant has been confirmed and after the increase […]

Pres. Duterte orders posting of 2 cops for each quarantine hotel to prevent ‘escapees’

  (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte directed putting two policemen in two shifts for each quarantine hotel on Tuesday night, Jan. 4, 2022. This is to ensure that there would be no more persons under quarantine escaping from their mandatory isolation amid a spike in COVID-19 cases suspected to be caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant. Duterte in a pre-recorded “Talk to the People” noted that hotel personnel do not have the police […]