Ex-DOH chief Dayrit gives Philippines’ COVID-19 response a 75% rating

Former Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit gave the Philippine government’s COVID-19 response a 75% rating.

Dayrit gave the rating two days after Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the government’s efforts to combat COVID-19 and its economic impact merits an 85%, largely due to the country testing the most number of people for COVID-19 in Asia.

“It is 75%. Certainly a passing rate for the problems that we have,” Dayrit said in an ANC interview.

“We still have to work very hard to keep the pandemic under control,” Dayrit added.

Dayrit said that while an Asian Development Bank study showed the Philippine households being the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, the study does not tell everything.

“Our case fatality rate is at 1.6%. Germany is at 8%. From one laboratory for [COVID-19 tests] in February, it is now a 100. From testing 1,000 a day, we have reached 35,000,” Dayrit said.

The Philippines has recorded 272,934 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 207,858 recovered while 4,752 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 60,344. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News