MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Tuesday (04 June 2024) that the increase in COVID-19 cases remains slow and manageable, with all regions maintaining a low-risk status. Most cases are classified as mild.
According to the latest DOH data, the average daily number of reported cases from May 21 to 27 was 319. This marks an increase from the previous week’s average of 202, but it is still significantly lower than the approximately 500 daily cases at the start of the year and the 1,750 daily cases seen in mid-May 2023.
As of May 27, only 14 percent (174 out of 1,235) of the ICU beds designated for Covid-19 were occupied. Additionally, 15 percent (1,601 out of 10,910) of general Covid-19 beds were in use.
Hospital reports submitted via the DOH Data Collect application indicated that severe and critical COVID-19 cases accounted for only 185 of the total admissions, representing 10 percent.
The DOH noted that the flagged Omicron subvariants are likely already present in the country. Recent sequencing data from the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) confirmed 30 cases of the JN.1 subvariant, 2 cases of JN.1.8, and 2 cases of KP.2.
“The detection of these variants, along with the slow increase in new cases and the stable number of occupied COVID-19 beds, aligns with international observations that the new variants under monitoring continue to be clinically mild and manageable,” the DOH stated.
The earliest sample collection date for JN.1 in the Philippines is November 2023, while the earliest sample collection date for KP.2 is May 2024.
(Rep. by el Amigo/MNM)
