DOH reports 42 COVID deaths, highest in 3 months

With 42 new deaths yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) has documented the highest number of fatalities from coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 in three months.

Based on the DOH’s Case Bulletin, there were 42 new deaths recorded yesterday, bringing the total death toll to 1,360. The highest number of deaths in a single day so far was recorded in April, at 50.

Of the 42 deaths yesterday, 36 were recorded in Cebu.

According to DOH director for health promotion and communication service Beverly Lorraine Ho, 57 percent of the fatalities were aged 60 years old and above.

“We remind our elderly population, our parents, our grandparents to be careful during this pandemic,” she said.

The elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions and high-risk parents are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Ho reported there were 1,233 new cases of COVID-19, bringing

the total cases to 52,914. Of the new cases, 848 were considered “fresh” while 385 were “late cases.”

“The cases that we are reporting are based on the submissions of 70 of the 79 licensed laboratories,” she noted.

She added that 286 patients have recovered from the virus, raising the total number of recoveries to 13,230.

Malacañang reiterated yesterday the need for the public to strictly observe minimum health standards after the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the possible airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“The acknowledgment of the World Health Organization that COVID-19 may be passed through air is something we leave to the health experts. We will be fully supportive of ideas based on science and hard data,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

Now that there is confirmation from global experts on airborne transmission, Roque said the public should all the more be conscious about complying with the health standards outlined by the government to help contain the virus.

“While the scientific community is discussing the mode of transmission of COVID-19, we call on our citizens to continue observing minimum public health standards, such as wearing of masks, washing of hands and practicing social distancing,” he said.

On Tuesday, WHO officials acknowledged evidence emerging of the airborne spread of the coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease passes between people.