MOSTLY IN COMMUNITIES

DOH: Philippines has 2,531 clusters of COVID-19 infections

The Philippines has 2,531 clusters of COVID-19 cases as of October 25, most of them in communities, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said that of the number, 84.6% or 2,140 are in communities, 4.7% in hospitals and health facilities, 1.7% or 43 in jails and 9% or 229 in other settings.

“The clustering of cases are seen in the Zamboanga peninsula, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Bangsamoro Region,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire clarified that the latest report on clustering of cases does not include the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila which was closed from October 24 to 27 for disinfection after 10 of its health workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Vergeire, however, said the situation in Fabella is manageable. “Hindi ito comparable to before na umaabot sa 100 [cases of health workers getting infected sa isang hospital],” she said.

“This [closure of Fabella] is not going to be for long. Kailangan lang po nila tapusin ang kanilang contract tracing, extraction at pagku-quarantine sa mga dapat i-quarantine. Nakahiwalay rin po ang pasyente ng COVID-19 from non-COVID-19 patients sa Fabella,” she added.

The Philippines has 370,028 COVID-19 cases as of October 25. Of this number, 328,036 have recovered while 6,977 had died. The number of active COVID-19 cases, meanwhile, is at 35,015. —KBK, GMA News