PH ALREADY AT ‘CRITICAL RISK’ FOR COVID-19 TRANSMISSION, SAYS DOH
MANILA — The Philippines is now at "critical risk" for COVID-19 transmission, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte that aired early Tuesday.
This comes a day after the country recorded 33,169 new coronavirus infections, a new record-high for the third straight day.
Duque also added that 60 percent of the sample sequence that they have conducted were positive for the omicron variant.
“Base po sa pinakahuling run ng atin pong whole genome sequencing, 60 percent na po sa ating genome na na-sequence ay positive for omicron variant. So siya na po ang pinakanagdo-dominate na variant, whereas before it was the delta,” he said.
The health chief noted though that despite the continuous spike in new infections, severe and critical cases are comparatively lower than what was observed during the delta-triggered surge in September 2021.
He called on local government units to enhance their Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate or PDITR strategies.
On the issue of inoculation, Duterte mentioned that restraining unvaccinated citizens from going out is the right of the government.
The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, said two manufacturers of self-administered COVID-19 test kits have so far applied for a special certification of their products which they endorsed to the RITM for technical validation.
They have also approved a compassionate special permit for COVID-19 treatment drug Bexovid, the first generic version of Pfizer’s Paxlovid.
The FDA said Pfizer is also expected to apply for the emergency use authorization of Paxlovid by the last week of January. The drug reportedly reduces risk of hospitalization and death by up to 89 percent.
WORRIES RAISED OVER POLL INTEGRITY AS COMELEC MOVES TO VERIFY ALLEGED HACK
MANILA — Members of the political opposition on Tuesday raised concerns over reported hacking of the Commission on Elections system that the poll body said it is still valiating.
Comelec on Monday said it is verifying allegations in a Manila Bulletin report but said that some details of the report cast doubt on whether hacking actually happened.
Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis Pangilian urged the poll body to confirm whether there was a breach and what data was compromised.
"We ask the Commission to immediately take steps to ensure that this, or any other similar incident would not affect the integrity of the May 2022 elections," they said in a statement.
"The welfare of the people, more than the candidates, is paramount. This election is for their future and they should not have any doubt about the process and its result," they also said.
Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list), meanwhile, recalled the massive 'Comeleaks' breach in early 2016 that exposed the personal data of around 55 million Filipino voters.
"Is this a repeat of that incident or this designed to destroy the credibility of Comelec for a no election scenario?" he said in a statement, adding that Congress should hold hearings on the alleged breach.
"The credibility of the coming elections will be put into question if this issue is not swiftly, independently and efficiently probed and addressed," he said.
In a statement to media on Monday evening, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the commission is aware of the report and is validating assertions made in the article.
"With no independent verification that a hack has indeed taken place, one thing immediately stands out: the article alleges that the hackers were able to 'download files that included, among others, usernames and PINS of vote-counting machines (VCM).' ," he said.
OVER 20 DFA OFFICES SUSPEND OPERATIONS, CITES COVID-FUELED STAFF SHORTAGE
MANILA—More than 20 Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) consular offices nationwide — including the main office in Parañaque City — will suspend operations until January 20 due to COVID-19.
The DFA, in a statement, said its Office of Consular Affairs and other consular offices and temporary offsite passport services sites will temporarily suspend operations because of "the steep rise in COVID-19 cases among its personnel."
"There will be skeleton teams at all sites while the rest of the workforce will work remotely during the temporary suspension of operations. Moreover, no passport or apostille applications will be processed or released during this period," the DFA said.
Operations shall resume on January 21.
The DFA said those with affected passport appointments have already been notified through email, while those whose schedule are at DFA Aseana are advised to refer to the new schedule posted in their website.
LINK TO: new schedule posted -- https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/statements-and-advisoriesupdate/30031-public-advisory-temporary-closure-of-several-consular-offices
CHINA, PHILIPPINES SUSPEND BEEF IMPORTS FROM CANADA AFTER BSE CASE
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — China and the Philippines have suspended imports of Canadian beef due to Canada’s detection in December of a cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a spokesperson for Canada’s agriculture department said on Monday.
The moves follow an import suspension by South Korea last month, after Canada reported its first BSE case in six years.
China is the world’s biggest importer of beef and veal, and Canada’s third-biggest export market, according to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). China took similar action against Brazil after that country confirmed BSE cases, before restoring imports in December after a three-month interruption.
BSE is a fatal disease of the nervous system in cattle.
Canada, the eighth largest beef and veal exporter, reported the BSE case in December in an 8-1/2-year-old beef cow in the province of Alberta.
Canada’s latest case is atypical – meaning it is a form of BSE that can occur naturally in older cattle – as opposed to classical BSE, caused by an animal eating contaminated feed.
The three countries to suspend Canadian imports are seeking more information about the case, said Dennis Laycraft, the CCA’s executive vice-president.
PAL CANCELS FLIGHTS AFTER SEVERAL GROUND, CABIN STAFF INFECTED WITH COVID-19
MANILA - Philippine Airlines said on Tuesday several ground staff and frontline cabin crew tested positive for COVID-19, which resulted to
"force majeure" cancellation of flights.
On Monday, the flag carrier announced it would cancel several domestic and international flights due to staff shortage.
Less than 10 percent of its cabin crew frontline roster either tested positive or in precautionary quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 positive patients, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna told Teleradyo.
"Tinamaan po ng COVID ang ilang empleyado ng Philippine Airlines including ground and frontliners at ang ilan naman ay nasa precautionary quarantine because of exposure to COVID positive individuals," Villaluna said.
"Dahil dito kami po ay humihingi ng pang-unawa sa ating mga mananakay na kailangan i-rebook ang kanilang flights na apektado ng mga force majeure cancellations na ito," she added.
Affected passengers can opt to rebook their flight or convert the ticket value to funds that can be used in a later date, the flag carrier said.
DOT SUSPENDS FREE SWAB TESTS FOR TOURISTS
MANILA — The free COVID-19 swab tests for tourists will be suspended for 10 days, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced yesterday.
In an advisory, the DOT’s Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) said it would stop the processing of applications for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests for local tourists from Jan. 17 to 27.
The TPB said it would continue accepting applications for free swab test until Jan. 16.
The DOT suspended its swab test subsidy program as the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), which performs the RT-PCR tests lacks encoders and swabbers.
The DOT said the swab test program for tourists would resume on Jan. 28.
GOVERNMENT WANTS COVID-19 TEST KITS REGISTERED WITH FDA
MANILA — The government has urged manufacturers and suppliers of COVID-19 home test kits to register their products with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“We are calling on manufacturers and suppliers to already pass through the FDA and get their home test kits accredited by our FDA,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said the other day, noting that no manufacturer or supplier of self-administered test kits has applied yet for FDA registration.
Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire likewise warned the public against using self-administered test kits as these may yield false results.
“That is why we give daily warnings to our countrymen. You need to be guided by health care workers when using the antigen test now on the market. There is the possibility of wrong results, when the process of collecting specimens is wrong,” Vergeire said.
“The self-administered test kits are not yet registered with the FDA,” Vergeire added, as she asked LGUs to help the DOH collect information regarding those who tested positive using the self-administered antigen tests. The DOH is considering allowing self-administered or home testing antigen kits as COVID-19 cases continued to rise.
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WITH 33,169 NEW CASES, DOH REPORTS RECORD TALLY FOR THIRD STRAIGHT DAY
MANILA — The Philippines on Monday reported a record number of COVID-19 infections for a third consecutive day, registering 33,169 additional cases.
Monday’s new cases follow the previous record of 28,707 cases logged on Sunday. On Saturday, the country registered 26,458 infections.
The new infections brought the total number of COVID-19 cases to nearly three million.
Ninety-nine percent of the newly-reported cases occurred from December 28 to January 10, the Department of Health said. More than half of the cases were from Metro Manila.
The positivity rate was 46% out of 73,344 tests. This was way above the 5-percent threshold of the World Health Organization for opening economies.
According to the DOH, 10 testing laboratories, which contribute 6.2 percent of samples tested, were not able to submit their data.
The department also reported 145 additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 52,293.
Meanwhile, recoveries increased by 3,725 for a total of 2,788,711.
MANILA CITY GOV'T SAYS ONLY ADMITTING SEVERE OR CRITICAL COVID-19 PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS
MANILA — Only severe and critical COVID-19 cases will be admitted in the six city hospitals in Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso — a presidential aspirant — announced Tuesday.
Moreno said he issued the directive to hospital directors, the Manila Health Department, and the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to optimize the city's utilization of hospital beds and other resources amid the surge of the Omicron variant and keep hospitals open for other patients experiencing other ailments.
Under the policy shift in the city, patients of COVID-19 who have mild symptoms but have underlying conditions and who are in need of proper hospital care would be admitted, the Manila chief said in a statement sent to reporters.
"For that, we can use the hospital for its original purpose — give proper attention to other diseases that afflict our countrymen, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetics or those in need of dialysis, childbirth or babies,” Moreno said.
NO PARADES, NO SANTACRUZAN: QC LIMITS ACTIVITIES FOR FIESTAS, RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
MANILA - Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday said she has set rules to limit mass gathering activities associated with festival celebrations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Belmonte said January and February is "fiesta season" in the city, with the likes of Galak Niño, Pedrista Festival, and the Chinese New Year happening within the period.
"We’ve already released guidelines to limit and restrict activities during fiestas. That’s one of the steps that we are taking," she told ANC's Headstart.
According to a press release published on the city's website last Friday, Belmonte signed a memorandum that prohibited activities such as processions, parades, Santacruzan. Also banned were social gatherings such as fairs, perya, variety shows, fireworks displays, or other public performances.
It also said that public drinking (such as doing it outdoors or on sidewalks), group videoke, or other celebratory gatherings that violate social distancing were not allowed.
Allowed, however, was the conduct of Dragon Dance or Lion Dance activities for Chinese New Year, provided they will be held in a designated area only and cordoned off from the general public. Participants are also expected to be fully vaccinated.
Belmonte also said that she had allowed Eucharistic Celebrations with limited in-person capacity, but some parish priests volunteered to have these done online instead.
As of January 10, there were about 27,000 active COVID-19 cases in Quezon City, said Belmonte. Of this number, she said 90.61 percent were asymptomatic and there were no severe or critical cases and even deaths.
MRT-3 OFFERS FREE ANTIGEN TEST
MANILA — The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 will start its random COVID-19 antigen tests for MRT-3 passengers starting today.
The management said MRT-3 personnel would administer antigen tests to commuters from Jan. 11 to 14, Jan. 17 to 21, Jan. 24 to 28 and Jan. 31.
Testing sites are located at the North Avenue, Cubao, Shaw Boulevard and Taft Avenue stations.
At least 24 passengers per station will be tested for COVID-19 during peak hours or from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Commuters volunteering to be tested need to sign consent and contact tracing forms. Those who will test negative for the virus will get free train rides.
Passengers who will yield positive COVID test results will not be allowed to board the train and should coordinate with their local government units for isolation and confirmatory RT-PCR test, the management said.
DILG: BARANGAYS TO RESTRICT UNVACCINATED 'WITHIN BOUNDS OF THE LAW'
MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government assured the public that any barangay officials implementing President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals in their respective barangays will do so within the bounds of the law.
The Commission on Human Rights has cautioned against arrests of unvaccinated people since there is no law making being unvaccinated a crime or making vaccination mandatory.
“The president is merely exercising his authority as chief executive under the public health emergency. He was very clear in his directive that an arrest will only be a last resort. They will first appeal (with the unvaccinated) to stay in their homes," Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement sent to media on Monday.
"Barangay officials may only arrest the unvaccinated individual who refuses to cooperate and who are leaving the homes for non-essential purposes."
He advised the public to bring their vaccination cards at all times to present to barangay officials and to police officers as proof of vaccination upon request.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
ZOMBIES ARE EVERYWHERE IN 'ALL OF US ARE DEAD' TEASER
Netflix has finally unveiled the teaser trailer for “All of Us Are Dead.”
The South Korean drama follows the story of students trapped in a school amid a zombie virus outbreak.
As shown in the teaser trailer, the zombies spread across classrooms, cafeteria, and the schoolyard, reaching every corner of the school.
Finding themselves completely trapped, Cheong-san and his friends desperately seek rescue but not a single person believes that the zombie outbreak is real.
With no sign of rescue, the students finally realize that they are the only ones who can save themselves.
While fighting the zombies in ways they can, the students’ goal is to find their way out of the school while making sure every single person stays alive.
Directed by Lee JQ and Kim Nam-su, “All of Us Are Dead” stars Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee You-Mi, and Lim Jae-hyeok among others.
It will stream on Netflix on January 28.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES JAN 9
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Spurs15-24 32 19 38 24 6 119
Nets25-13 32 28 31 22 8 121
BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, NY
SCORING LEADERS
L. Walker IV SA
25 PTS 3 REB 4 AST
K. Durant BKN
28 PTS 4 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Hawks17-22 23 30 20 20 93
Clippers20-21 31 28 27 20 106
CRYPTO.COM ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA
SCORING LEADERS
T. Young ATL
19 PTS 3 REB 7 AST
A. Coffey LAC
21 PTS 5 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans14-26 26 22 29 24 101
Raptors20-17 27 22 30 26 105
SCOTIABANK ARENA, TORONTO, ON
SCORING LEADERS
B. Ingram NO
22 PTS 5 REB 4 AST
F. VanVleet TOR
32 PTS 4 REB 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Wizards20-20 20 22 25 35 102
Magic7-34 26 23 22 29 100
AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO, FL
SCORING LEADERS
K. Kuzma WAS
27 PTS 22 REB 1 AST
T. Ross ORL
32 PTS 2 REB 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Nuggets20-18 36 25 19 19 99
Thunder13-26 23 26 29 17 95
PAYCOM CENTER, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
SCORING LEADERS
N. Jokic DEN
22 PTS 18 REB 6 AST
L. Dort OKC
14 PTS 5 REB 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Timberwolves20-20 36 39 36 30 141
Rockets11-30 26 28 34 35 123
TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON, TX
SCORING LEADERS
K. Towns MIN
40 PTS 9 REB 7 AST
C. Wood HOU
22 PTS 8 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Bulls26-11 32 23 24 20 99
Mavericks22-18 22 32 29 30 113
AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, DALLAS, TX
SCORING LEADERS
Z. LaVine CHI
20 PTS 2 REB 2 AST
L. Doncic DAL
22 PTS 14 REB 14 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Cavaliers22-18 21 25 14 22 82
Warriors30-9 24 27 28 17 96
CHASE CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SCORING LEADERS
L. Stevens CLE
17 PTS 4 REB 1 AST
S. Curry GS
28 PTS 5 REB 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Kings16-26 21 19 27 21 88
Trail Blazers15-24 27 26 29 21 103
MODA CENTER AT THE ROSE QUARTER, PORTLAND, OR
SCORING LEADERS
T. Haliburton SAC
17 PTS 1 REB 9 AST
A. Simons POR
31 PTS 3 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Grizzlies28-14 27 38 42 20 127
Lakers21-20 27 25 31 36 119
CRYPTO.COM ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA
SCORING LEADERS
D. Bane MEM
23 PTS 4 REB 3 AST
L. James LAL
35 PTS 9 REB 7 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 51.31
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou
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