DOH: COVID-19 deaths on a downtrend

The mortality rate from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines continues to show a downtrend with the Department of Health (DOH) reporting only three new deaths on June 1, the lowest since March, a health official said Tuesday.

In a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the average number of deaths recorded daily has been dropping in the past few weeks.

“Magmula sa average na 25.3 deaths kada araw noong simula ng Abril, bumaba na tayo sa 1.6 deaths kada araw sa katapusan ng Mayo… Talagang bumababa na po ang trend ng mga pumapanaw sa ating bansa dahil sa COVID-19,” she said.

Vergeire noted that the steady decrease in the number of new deaths indicates that the country’s health system is now able to cope better with the continued rise in infections.

She added that the DOH continues to provide hospitals with personal protective equipment and ventilators, among other things, to ensure that healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed amid the pandemic.

“Kung patuloy na pong bumababa ‘yung bilang ng mga kaso at ‘yung mga namamatay, dito po natin matutukoy ang trend ng epidemic sa ating bansa. At kung alam natin ang nagiging pattern ng epidemic, mas makakapagdesisyon tayo ng tama base sa datos at ebidensya na mayroon tayo,” Vergeire said.

The Philippines, however, still has the second-highest number of COVID-19 fatalities across Southeast Asia behind Indonesia, which has recorded 1,663 deaths as of Tuesday.

The Philippines has logged 18,997 COVID-19 cases with 4,063 recoveries and 966 deaths. -- BAP, GMA News