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New Omicron cases detected in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; more local and ROF cases recorded (Eagle News) – The Philippines’ total Omicron variant cases reached 535 after the addition of 492 new Omicron cases with addresses spread country-wide, from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, based on the latest genome sequencing of the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center. The latest data also showed an increased number of new local cases, at 332, as well as […]
DOHA, Qatarr (AFP) — A three-week-old baby has died from Covid-19 in Qatar, the health ministry said on Sunday, reporting a rare child fatality from the illness in the Gulf country. “A three-week-old baby has sadly died as a result of severe infection from Covid-19,” the emirate’s public health ministry said in a statement. “The baby had no other known medical or hereditary conditions”, and was the second child to have died in the country […]
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The Covid-19 pandemic is far from over, the World Health Organization chief said Tuesday, cautioning against a narrative that the fast-spreading Omicron variant is risk-free. “This pandemic is nowhere near over,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters from WHO’s headquarters in Geneva. Tedros warned against dismissing as mild the coronavirus variant Omicron, which has spread like wildfire around the globe since it was first detected in southern Africa in November. The Omicron […]
Says trend of rising cases characteristic of Omicron variant; PHL still in critical risk (Eagle News) – Severe and critical cases are on a plateau while mild cases are increasing as the Department of Health noted an epidemic curve that is characteristic of the Omicron variant. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also noted a decrease in the percentage of the rise in cases in the last few weeks, and hopefully would plateau soon, he […]
QUITO, Ecuador (AFP) — Ecuador on Sunday declared a red alert in most of the country following a ten-fold increase in Covid-19 cases. The red alert applies to 193 of the South American country’s 221 cantons, including major population hubs such as Quito and Guayaquil. Schools have also been shut until January 21. Daily cases rose from an average of 4,000 in the week around Christmas to more than 42,000 in the second week of […]
(Eagle News) – Because of “very high transmission rate and high infection rate” of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region, the Department of Health said that contact tracing is a challenge and is not prioritized anymore. Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said that “contact tracing is not a priority intervention anymore” because of rising infection rates in Metro Manila. The DOH official said that the shift in strategy from less tracing to more […]
Omicron characteristics noted in Metro Manila, other regions with high cases (Eagle News) – The Department of Health said that the steep rise in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and in other regions recently is “characteristic” of the Omicron variant. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that in the country’s capital, the National Capital Region, there is already a confirmed local transmission of the Omicron variant although the genome sequencing results from the latest […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A preliminary US study of nearly 70,000 Covid positive people showed a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization and death from Omicron even after controlling for growing population immunity levels. People infected with Omicron were half as likely to be hospitalized, about 75 percent less likely to need intensive care, and around 90 percent less likely to die compared to those infected with the formerly dominant Delta variant, according to the […]
Malacanang appeals to unvaccinated seniors to get COVID-19 jabs citing data that most COVID deaths are among the elderly (Eagle News) – Some three million Filipino senior citizens or those 60 years and above have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, the Palace said. This is part of the targeted population which should be vaccinated the soonest possible time because of the increasing number of new COVID-19 cases suspected to be propelled by the highly […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — Experts said Monday that an alleged hybrid coronavirus mutation dubbed “Deltacron” reportedly discovered in a Cyprus lab is most likely the result of a lab contamination, and not a new worrying variant. Cypriot media reported the discovery Saturday, describing it as having “the genetic background of the Delta variant along with some of the mutations of Omicron”. While it is possible for coronaviruses to genetically combine, it is rare, and […]
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 […]
Dr. Herbosa says Alert Level 4 “possible” to be raised in NCR in the next few days with increasing hospital admissions and rising number of health workers getting infected (Eagle News) – Metro Manila and other areas under Alert Level 3 could be elevated to Alert Level 4 if the health care utilization in hospitals and health care systems reaches high-risk level, health experts said. Dr. Ted Herbosa, the special adviser of the Inter-Agency Task […]
