News Roundup 13 April 2021
Apr 13, 2021 • 4 min Read
Philippines logs 8,571 new COVID-19 cases, active cases at 165,534 |PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Tuesday recorded 8,571 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 884,783.
- Active cases: 165,534 or 18.7% of the total
- Recoveries: 400, pushing total to 703,963 or 79.6% of total
- Deaths: 137, bringing total to 15,286
According to the Department of Health, a number of laboratories failed to submit data in its latest tally, causing the relatively lower case numbers. This was also due to 36 laboratories that did not conduct testing operations on Sunday, the DOH said.
Clinical trials for Sinovac jab yet to start in Philippines — Vaccine Expert Panel | PHILSTAR.COM – Late-stage clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech have yet to start in the country, the head of the government’s vaccine expert panel said, citing changes in the protocols of the study. “They haven’t started yet. They’re still laying the groundwork because they want an amendment, which is not yet fully submitted at this time,” Dr. Nina Gloriani, VEP head, said in a briefing Tuesday. Gloriani said the study of CoronaVac is placebo-controlled, in which an inactive substance is given to one group of participants, while the vaccine being tested is given to another group “They may change some of these because there is a rollout already,” she said, adding the trials may begin in May. The head of the VEP also said the planned trial in the Philippines will focus on the elderly. In January, the country’s Food and Drug Administration approved the application of Sinovac to conduct clinical trials of its COVID-19 shot in the country. While Phase 3 clinical trials for the jab have yet to start in the country, the local regulator has already approved CoronaVac for emergency use. Last week, the FDA allowed the use of CoronaVac on the elderly to give them protection as the Philippines faces a shortage of vaccines and a surge in infections. The Emergency Use Authorization issued for the jab last February cleared it for use only on “clinically healthy” individuals aged 18 to 59. The Department of Health and the FDA said that “while current efficacy data for senior citizens from Phase 3 trials are insufficient, the benefits of using the vaccine for this particular group outweigh its risk, and more scientific data on use for senior citizens may soon become available.”
Meat imports will kill PH hog industry – senators | INQUIRER.NET – Senators are challenging the computations of agriculture officials that led to President Rodrigo Duterte’s “mind-boggling” decision to raise imported pork volumes by 350,000 metric tons (MT) on top of a reduction in import duties that, they said, packed a double whammy for backyard hog raisers. During Monday’s Senate committee-of-the-whole inquiry into the ills facing the domestic meat industry due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the 350,000 MT would amount to about 5 million pigs. Quizzed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon about the current population of pigs being raised by farmers in the country, Dar replied: “About 9.7 million.” “So, 5 million over 9.7 million is almost 50 percent of the present population of pigs. This is what we will import?” Drilon asked the secretary, who said yes. “What I’m driving at is have you not considered how this will devastate the hog industry, especially backyard hog raisers? Almost 70 percent would be generated by backyard raisers, and if you import this much, almost 50 percent of our present population, won’t that cause the collapse of the local industry?” Drilon asked. “You are recommending more than double and you are admitting this will represent more than 50 percent of our present pig population of 9.7 million,” he added. Senate President Vicente Sotto III interjected: “It’s mind-boggling. My big question, how were you able to convince the President?” Sen. Panfilo Lacson, for his part, censured the Department of Agriculture (DA) for ignoring the pleas of hog raisers and pushing for the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 128.
De Lima to Duterte: ‘Just do your work!’ | Manila Bulletin – Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday, April 13, chided President Duterte for his recent tirades against her, saying it only highlights how the Chief Executive is more preoccupied with attacking her and his critics than resolving the rising COVID-19 infections and death toll in the country. “Mr. President, maawa ka naman sa taumbayan. Namamatay na mga mahal nila sa buhay ako pa rin ang problema mo (Have some compassion for the people. Their loved ones are dying, and yet you’re still attacking me)?” De Lima said in her latest statement. “Magtrabaho ka na lang Duterte. Kung nagtrabaho ka lang sana hindi tayo umabot sa ganito. Huwag ka na lang puro ngawngaw (Just do your work, Duterte. If you have been working hard, then we couldn’t have reached this stage. Don’t just go about hurling expletives),” she added.
