FOR the second straight day, over 37,000 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases nationwide were reported by the Department of Health yesterday, along with 23 additional deaths that pushed the toll to nearly 53,000.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said total infections in the country rose to 3,242,374, counting the latest new cases of 37,070, while the death toll climbed to 52,929 for a case fatality rate of 1.63 percent.
The latest new cases did not include data from 12 laboratories.
The current positivity rate in the Philippines stood at 46 percent among the 77,410 tested samples on January 15.
Active cases rose to 290,938 from 287,856 last Sunday, with over 277,000 mild cases and more than 9,100 asymptomatic cases.
The DOH also reported 33,940 additional recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 2,898,507 survivors.
Civil Service Commissioner Aileen Lizada said that 161 officials and employees of the agency are in isolation after testing positive for the deadly virus.
During the public briefing “Laging Handa,” Lizada said the number could still change as some swab results are still awaiting release even as close contacts of the infected personnel are being traced.
She said the swab tests were conducted at the CSC Central Office in Quezon City and in its regional offices.
Despite the big number of personnel on sick bay and the continuing surge of new COVID-19 cases in various hot spots in the country, Lizada stressed the CSC and all government offices must continue to serve the public.
“We have to find ways to continue serving the Filipino public. We talked about reduction of workforce but not stoppage of government workforce. We need to serve the public continuously but likewise, we also have to protect our government employees,” she said.
She reminded all heads of government agencies that under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 s. 2020 of the CSC, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Health, there are already guidelines for the protection of public sector workers from injury, sickness, or death.
“I am reminding the heads of agencies, please see to the welfare of our government workers. Let us prepare for them a home care covid kit to help declog our health centers and allow them to serve the public better,” Lizada said.
She also urged members of the 1.7 million government strong work force to get vaccinated for their protection and those of their families and co-workers. — With Peter Tabingo
