Philippines records 3,127 new COVID-19 cases from Jan. 2–8, 2023

The country registered 3,127 new COVID-19 infections from January 2 to January 8, 2023, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.

According to the agency’s latest bulletin, the number of cases recorded from January 2 to January 8, 2023 was lower than the 3,458 cases logged from December 26, 2022, to January 1, 2023.

The daily case average for the recent week was 447, 9% lower than the previous 494.

According to GMA Integrated News Research, the weekly and daily average new cases are the lowest in 28 reporting weeks. This week also marks the 10th week of fewer than 10,000 weekly new cases and the second week of fewer than 5,000 new cases. It has also been three weeks of fewer than 1,000 daily new cases.

Seven of the new COVID-19 cases are classified as severe or critical, higher than the three reported last week and the highest tally in three weeks, although it is also the 16th week of fewer than 10 severe or critical new cases reported.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said there is a possibility that COVID-19 infections would again increase due to the gatherings over the holidays, but stressed that hospitals are ready should this happen.

A total of 79 additional verified COVID-19-related deaths were belatedly recorded by the DOH. These deaths were registered from August 2020 to January 2023.

Of these deaths, seven occurred in January 2023, 11 in December 2022, one in September 2022, one in April 2022, two in February 2022, eight in January 2022, one in November 2021, seven in October 2021, 11 in September 2021, six in August 2021, one in July 2021, four in June 2021, three in May 2021, seven in April 2021, five in March 2021, one in December 2020, one in November 2020, one in October 2020, and one in August 2020.

Seventeen of these fatalities also occurred between December 26 to January 8 alone.

473 new cases on Monday

Meanwhile, 473 new COVID-19 infections were recorded on Monday, the DOH said.

This increases the country’s total caseload to 4,069,054, while the number of active infections decreased to 12,267.

Total number of recoveries climbed to 3,990,301 while the death toll rose by 10 to 65,486.

The country’s occupancy rate remains at low risk with 20.4% or 5,565 occupied of the total 27,258 beds available. 21,693 are vacant.

Metro Manila reported the highest number of new cases in the last 14 days with 2,200. CALABARZON followed with 1,090; Central Luzon with 527; Western Visayas with 339 and Cagayan Valley with 338.

A total of 7,411 individuals were tested for the virus on Sunday, January 8. 287 testing laboratories submitted their results.

Hospitals, vaccination updates

Further, at least 73.7 million Filipinos, or 94.48% of the government’s target population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to DOH.

Of this number, 15,848 completed their primary series from January 2 to January 8.

There are also 21.1 million boosted individuals, of whom 24,698 were boosted in the same period.

Meanwhile, at least 6.9 million senior citizens, or 79.46% of the target A2 population have also received their primary vaccine series.

Data also showed that there were 507 severe and critical cases admitted in hospitals due to COVID-19 as of January 8. This was 9.3% of the total COVID-19 admissions, according to DOH.

Of the new cases recorded from January 2 to January 8, there were seven patients tagged as new severe or critical cases. DOH said this was only 0.23% of the new cases reported for the week.

Of the 2,379 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 431, or 18.1% were occupied. Meanwhile, 4,185, or 21.6% of the 19,373 non-ICU COVID-19 beds were in use. — with Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News