News Roundup 12 August 2020
Aug 12, 2020 • 4 min Read
COVID-19 infections in Philippines now over 143,000 with 4,444 new cases | PHILSTAR.COM – The number of coronavirus cases in the Philippines reached 143,749 Wednesday after the Department of Health logged 4,444 more infected patients. The Philippines has the most coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia. The country also ranked 22nd worldwide in terms of caseload, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. The department also said that 636 more patients have recovered, bringing the total number of COVID-19 survivors to 68,997. The death toll, however, climbed to 2,404 with 93 additional deaths.
CBCP to gov’t: Be open to scientific insights, learn from ASEAN peers’ success in containing COVID-19 | PHILSTAR.COM – Filipino bishops called on the government to be open to scientific insights and protect the most vulnerable sectors of society as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. In a pastoral message Wednesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines made appeals to various sectors of the country as it struggles to put the health crisis that has so far infected over 134,000 individuals under control. “We call on the government officials to be more open to new scientific insights and global experiences around COVID-19, even if these may challenge one’s belief systems and preferred approaches to managing the epidemic,” the statement signed by Archbishop Socrates Villages and Bishop Roberto Mallari. The message was endorsed by Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP acting president. “Let us learn from the success stories of our ASEAN neighbors with political humility and collective honesty,” they added. The bishops also urged the government’s inter-agency task force on pandemic response to have a “more participatory” approach.
DOH: PH clinical trial for Japan’s antiviral drug Avigan to run for 9 months | INQUIRER.NET –Clinical trials in the country for Japan’s antiviral drug Avigan will run for nine months to determine whether it can be used as a COVID-19 treatment. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday said four hospitals have so far been identified as sites for the clinical trials. These are Philippine General Hospital, Sta. Ana Hospital, Dr. Jose M. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center. “Medicines are provided already, they have provided us with doses for 100 patients. This project will run for nine months,” Vergeire told reporters in an online media forum. Avigan, which is used to treat influenza in Japan, will be administered to 100 COVID-19 patients during the clinical trial period. The trial, according to Vergeire, started on Monday, August 10.
‘Mafia’ in PhilHealth conniving with private hospitals in ‘fraudulent schemes’ — Sen. Zubiri | Manila Bulletin – Members of the so-called “mafia” in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) are allegedly conniving with private health care institutions (HCIs) to defraud the state insurer of millions of funds. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri bared this Wednesday as he cited insider information that the group was involved in the alleged anomalous transactions concerning the state-run insurance firm. “Ang balita sa akin, malakas daw ‘yong mafia dahil hawak nila itong mga private institutions na ito (I was told that this mafia was influential because they control these private institutions). If you notice, hindi nila masyadong nagagawa ito sa public institutions, bakit (they cannot do it with public institutions, why)? May COA, eh (Because there’s the Commission on Audit),” Zubiri told reporters in a virtual briefing.
‘Snatching’ of Echanis’ remains condemned | The Manila Times – The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Tuesday came under fire for “snatching” the remains of peace consultant and Anakpawis national chairman Randall Echanis, whose body was identified by his wife. The police earlier denied that one of two men killed in the city on Monday was Echanis. It said a DNA would be conducted to determine the identity of the victim, whom the police identified as Manuel Santiago. Erlinda Echanis claimed that the remains were those of her husband. She brought the body to the St. Peter Chapel, but the police took it and brought it to another funeral home. QCPD Director BGen. Ronnie Montejo said policemen were conducting an extensive investigation to establish the motive of the killing. He added that a DNA test would validate the claim of militant groups that the victim was Echanis. The wife of Echanis has condemned the “snatching” of her husband’s remains.
