DEATHS from the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spiked to 104 yesterday from just 43 last Monday while new cases dipped to 4,114 because nine laboratories failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last July 4.
In its latest bulletin, the Department of Health said the death toll from the deadly virus rose to 25,296 for a case fatality rate of 1.75 while the number of infections in the country climbed to 1,445,832.
Active cases dipped slight to 49,613 from 51,594 last Monday, with 90.8 percent mild cases, 3.9 percent asymptomatic cases, 2.2 percent severe cases, 1.6 percent moderate cases, and 1.5 percent critical cases.
The DOH reported 6,086 more recoveries as the number of survivors rose to 1,370,923. This means that 94.8 percent of COVID patients have recovered.
More than a year into the pandemic and 1.44 million cases later, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is now looking to adjust the case rate benefit package for coronavirus disease cases.
In a televised public briefing, PhilHealth spokesperson Shirley Domingo said they are set to introduce a new benefit package for COVID-19 in-patient care package.
“We have already conducted an assessment at PhilHealth. In fact, there is already a recommendation. Anytime soon, we will be implementing an improved package for in-patient hospital care for COVID-19 patients,” said Domingo.
This will mark the second time the PhilHealth will adjust its COVID-19 benefit package since last year.
In April 2020, PhilHealth raised the benefit package for COVID-19 patients to P43,997 for mild pneumonia; P143,267 for moderate pneumonia; P333,519 for severe pneumonia; and P786,384 for critical pneumonia, higher than the initial isolation package amounting to P14,000 that was introduced in March 2020.
For this year, Domingo said they have paid healthcare facilities a total of P36 billion in claims for COVID-19 benefit package.
Domingo said the present amount of unpaid claims is still undergoing validation and reconciliation of data.
