MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has logged 3,758 more people who have been infected with Covid-19.
The DOH data showed that a total of 36,115 individuals are still sick with Covid-19 nationwide as of Thursday. The figure was slightly higher from the 35,101 active cases recorded on Wednesday.
The National Capital Region had the most cases in the last 14 days with 14,779, followed by Calabarzon (9,147), Central Luzon (5,027), Western Visayas (2,638), and Cagayan Valley (2,206).
On Thursday, the new cases brought the country’s running tally of infections to 3,844,708. Majority of the cases or 3,747,372 people have recovered, while deaths related to Covid-19 stood at 61,221.
Medicines for Covid-19
The DOH guaranteed the public that amid the increasing number of cases, the country has sufficient supply of medicines for Covid-19 treatment such as molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (Paxlovid), remdesivir, tocilizumab, among others. It also said there is enough supply of testing kits for Covid-19.
“‘Yun pong recommendation regarding sa stockpiling of our antiviral drugs para sa Covid-19, dati pa naman po natin ginagawa iyan (The recommendation regarding the stockpiling of antiviral drugs for Covid-19, we have long been doing that). Our health system and our hospitals have always been at that point where we want to be more prepared than the previous situation that we have,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a recent press briefing.
“So, rest assured para po sa ating mga kababayan, handa po ang ating sistema para po kung saka-sakali na tumaas ang mga kaso meron tayong enough medicines, we have enough oxygen supply, para po ma-manage natin kung saka-sakali dadami ang severe and critical (Rest assured that our [health] system is prepared in case the number of the infections increases. We have enough medicines, we have enough oxygen supply that can be used to manage severe and critical [cases]),” she added.
Vergeire further stated that they have also increased the access to such medicines for Covid-19.
“We can now procure or buy these antiviral drugs in FDA [Food and Drug Administration]-licensed pharmacies,” she said.
“We have expanded access already hindi nalang sa mga ospital niyo makukuha ang mga gamot na ito, makukuha na rin ito commercially (not only can you get these drugs in hospitals, you can also get them commercially) as long as you have the prescription of your doctors,” she added.
Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion recently urged the government to stock up on antiviral medicines in order to “build up” the country’s “defenses” against Covid-19.
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