Regions with rising COVID-19 cases to get more vaccines —DOH exec

The 10 regions flagged over an "upward trend" in COVID-19 cases will be given more COVID-19 vaccines to boost their regular allocation, a health official said Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said local authorities and the national government have been working to address the COVID-19 situation in the 10 areas, especially in Region 9.

The Zamboanga Peninsula and nine other regions were earlier flagged by the Department of Health (DOH) over an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

DOH data showed that the occupancy rate of intensive care unit, isolation, and ward beds in Region 9 had breached the high risk category at 75%. It also logged a 49% case growth rate and attack rate of 6.10 cases per 100,000 population.

“Part of our strategy is to give them additional vaccines to their regular allocation,” Cabotaje said in a Laging Handa briefing.

“Even Secretary [Carlito] Galvez and Secretary Vince [Dizon] are flying there to oversee ano ba ang mga kailangan gawin, ano ba ang mga kailangan paigtingin pa sa dati nang ginagawa ng ating mga local health workers at lokal na pamahalaan.”

(Secretary Carlito Galvez and Secretary Vince Dizon are flying there to oversee what needs to be done, what needs to be strengthened in the response of local health workers and the local government.)

Despite the increase, the DOH said there is no need yet to impose a strict quarantine classification in any of the 10 regions as their healthcare systems could still cope.

The Philippines has logged 1,154,388 COVID-19 cases with 1,082,725 recoveries and 19,372 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon. —KBK, GMA News