The Philippines Reported More Than 1 Million COVID-19 Cases and Appealed for an Emergency Vaccine

Manila, Philippines: According to the department of health, the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the Philippines since the start of the pandemic exceeded 1 million on Monday, as a health official advised against releasing restrictions to supply hospitals some “breathing room.”

The department of health reported nearly 9,000 new COVID-19 patients in the past 24 hours brought the country’s caseload to 1,006,428 – the second-highest in Southeast Asia.

A lockdown required on the national capital region and four surrounding areas at the end of March to reduce a record wave in infections seems to be serving.

Fresh new COVID-19 cases in the capital – the epicenter of the outbreak – dropped 20 percent to an average of 3,841 per day last week, data released by independent research group OCTA show.

The occupation rate of hospital beds allotted for COVID-19 patients has also eased after the number increased and quarantine departments for moderate cases developed.

The government has been redeploying healthcare workers from low-transmission areas to the capital to help struggling dispensaries. Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon said more medical volunteers were “instantly” required.

Under current virus rules & regulations, indoor dining is forbidden, non-essential travel is restricted, public transport capacity is confined, and businesses such as gyms and beauty salons close.

Using a mask and face shield in public has long been necessary.

There is increasing attention about the result of the rules on the already devastated economy.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic experts consider that the first two weeks of lockdown cost about 252,000 jobs and severed household income by nearly 30 billion Philippine pesos.

U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc on Monday asked for an urgent COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, Food and Drug Administration chief Rolando Enrique Domingo told reporters.

The Philippines must deliver 194,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine in May as per U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc and another one million shots in July as reported by.

The Philippines, which is fighting one of the worst COVID-19 breaks in Asia, has so far approved the emergency use of six vaccines in the country.

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