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MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 9:50 p.m.) — Twelve new coronavirus disease infections were confirmed in the Philippines on Friday, raising the country’s total to 64, a day after the government announced a new set of measures in a bid to contain the contagion.
Since the country first detected an infection in late January, five people have died from the disease that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Four of the five virus-related deaths in the Philippines were reported this week.
The country’s new confirmed cases are the following:
- PH53: A 30-year-old male from Mandaluyong City. He is admitted at The Medical City.
- PH54: A 40-year-old male from Pasig City. He was brought to Ortigas Hospital and Health Care Center.
- PH55: A 59-year-old female. She is confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
- PH56: A 41-year-old male. He is being treated at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City
- PH57: A 65-year-old male. He is admitted at The Medical City.
- PH58: A 45-year-old female from Makati City. She was brought to The Medical City.
- PH59: A 27-year-old male. He is being treated at the Makati Medical Center.
- PH60: A 49-year-old male from Makati City. He is being treated at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City.
- PH61: A 70-year-old female. She is admitted at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.
- PH62: A 35-year-old female. She was brought to Ortigas Hospital and Health Care Center.
- PH63: A 33-year-old male from Rizal. He is confined at Marikina Valley Medical Center.
- PH64: A 32-year-old male from Manila. He is being treated at Bataan St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center.
The Department of Health said it is conducting intensive information-gathering and contact tracing on the new cases.
Elderly people and those with underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease and immunosuppression are vulnerable to COVID-19.
President Rodrigo Duterte, during a nationally televised address, announced plans to halt domestic travel to and from Metro Manila—home to nearly 13 million people—as the Philippines raised its alarm to Code Red Sub-Level 2.
“It’s a lockdown. There is no struggle of power here. It is a matter of protecting and defending you from COVID-19,” Duterte said.
He also announced a ban on mass gatherings, extended school closure and prohibition on the entry of foreigners from places where the virus is spreading.
“The decision to implement a community quarantine was made in the best interest of the public. I enjoin everyone—young and old—to cooperate fully with our government,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
He also urged the public to stop hoarding hygiene and sanitation products.
“It does not help us fight off COVID-19. Realize that when you hoard, you are being part of the problem by denying the rest of your fellowmen the means to protect themselves,” Duque said.
Cases globally now stand at more than 125,000 and 4,600 deaths.
Follow this page for updates on a mysterious pneumonia outbreak that has struck dozens of people in China.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted full approval to the antiviral drug remdesivir as a treatment for patients hospitalized with COVID-19, after conditional authorization was given in May.
Gilead said the drug, sold under the brand name Veklury, was the only specific treatment for COVID-19 approved so far under a more rigorous process.
However, other treatments have received authorization for emergency use, though that approval can be revoked once the public health emergency sparked by the coronavirus pandemic is over.
Other medications, like the steroid dexamethasone, are also being used in the fight against COVID-19. The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted full approval to the antiviral drug remdesivir as a treatment for patients hospitalized with Covid-19, after conditional authorization was given in May. — AFP
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,133,136 people since the outbreak emerged in China late last year, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources at 1100 GMT on Thursday.
At least 41,304,020 cases have been registered worldwide. Of these, at least 28,294,600 are now considered recovered.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. — AFP
The Czech government says Wednesday it would curb movement and close shops and services to battle a huge spike in COVID-19 cases.
"The government will... curb movement and contacts with other people... with the exception of trips to work, shopping and trips to the doctor," Health Minister Roman Prymula told reporters.
He added the government would also close all retail outlets except food shops, drugstores and pharmacies from Thursday morning until November 3. — AFP
A number of European countries took urgent new measures on Monday to combat a second wave of coronavirus infections, as the World Health Organization blamed the surge in worldwide cases — now more than 40 million — on countries' failure to quarantine infected people properly.
Ireland and Wales became the first countries on the continent to re-enter lockdown as the number of people who have died from COVID-19 in Europe passed 250,000, according to an AFP tally.
Irish prime minister Micheal Martin issued a nationwide "stay at home" order from midnight Wednesday, with all non-essential retail businesses to close and bars and restaurants limited to takeaway service only, although schools will remain open. — AFP
Canada, in the midst of a second wave of COVID-19 illnesses, topped 200,000 cases and inched closer to 10,000 deaths Monday, according to official data compiled by Canadian broadcasters CBC and CTV.
About 80% of these cases and more than 90% of the deaths were recorded in the country's two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, which has been the epicenter of the country's epidemic since it broke out in Canada last March.
As of Monday afternoon, Canada had 200,039 cases and 9,772 dead — with its two westernmost provinces still to report their updated tallies — according to the public health data.
That amounts to 532 cases per 100,000 people in the country of 38 million, or five times fewer than in the United States. — AFP
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