Daily COVID-19 cases down to 36

Rhodina Villanueva – The Philippine Star March 15, 2024 | 12:00am DOH data showed that as of March 4, only 10 percent of the 1,185 intensive care unit (ICU) beds dedicated for COVID patients were occupied. The STAR / Michael Varcas, file MANILA, Philippines — COVID cases in the country now average only 36 per […]

Daily COVID-19 cases down to 36

Daily COVID-19 cases down to 36 thumbnail

Rhodina Villanueva – The Philippine Star

March 15, 2024 | 12:00am

DOH data showed that as of March 4, only 10 percent of the 1,185 intensive care unit (ICU) beds dedicated for COVID patients were occupied.

The STAR / Michael Varcas, file

MANILA, Philippines — COVID cases in the country now average only 36 per day, according to the Department of Health.

DOH data showed that as of March 4, only 10 percent of the 1,185 intensive care unit (ICU) beds dedicated for COVID patients were occupied.

Of the 10,097 non-ICU beds for COVID patients, only 11 percent are currently in use.

The DOH said the highest occupancy of COVID beds was at 71 percent in September 2021. The occupancy rate of ICU beds was at 74 percent during the same period.

Cases peaked at an average of 34,903 per day in January 2022.

”Moving forward, we have learned our lessons and we now know better,” DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said. ”The Universal Health Care Act remains as a reference to strengthen primary health care to prepare the country for the next pandemic.”

Metro Manila was placed under “community quarantine” starting on March 15, 2020 due to the global pandemic.