By
The SUN
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| Philippines' record daily tally today (CNN graphic) |
A second consecutive record tally of 9,838 infections was
recorded in the Philippines today, Mar 26, bringing the total number of
Covid-19 cases to 702,856. Yesterday’s daily toll of 8,773 was also a record.
Of the total tally, the number of active cases was
also at a new high of 109,018, or 15.5% of the total.
Recoveries for the day numbered 663, pushing the total
to 580,689 (82.6% of all cases).
Fifty-four new fatalities were recorded, which raised
the death toll to 13,419 (1.87%).
Most, or around 50% of the new cases, were recorded in
the National Capital Region. Quezon City tops the list of cities with the most number
of active cases, at about 7,800.
Amid the continuing surge in cases, the Department of
Health said it was facing a shortage of drugs used to Covid-19 patients.
Occupancy rates for isolation beds in Metro Manila are at a critical level, so
hospital are being asked to increase their allocation for Covid-19 patients.
However, the National Task Force for the coronavirus
eased an earlier ban on church gatherings in the NCR Plus bubble (including Cavite,
Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan) by allowing up to 10% capacity in churches from Apr
1 to 4.
The government will also allow 24 tertiary education
institutions to conduct limited face-to-face classes in the second semester of
the current academic year.
Meanwhile the controversy over certain people being
allowed to jump the queue for vaccines currently reserved for medical
frontliners. The DOH said only health workers are allowed to be included in the
“substitution list” which the Paranaque city government used to justify giving
the jab to actor Mark Anthony Fernandez.
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| Nearly 500k OFWs have returned home after losing their jobs, says OWWA |
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told lawmakers
that he will push for overseas Filipino workers to be moved up in the
inoculation priority list by six spots.
He made his statement
as OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac revealed that about 492,000 OFWs have been
repatriated since the start of the pandemic last year. Of these, 450,000 reportedly
received the Php10,000 “Akap” relief fund for OFWs affected by Covid-19.
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