Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021

Situation summary Please see the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) daily Situation Update for further information.

1,989,857 1,810,847 33,448 13,836,357 Cases Recoveries Deaths Vaccinated

• Out of a total 1,989,8571 confirmed cases reported in the Philippines as of 31 August 2021, 51% are male, with the most affected age group 20-29 years (28%). • DOH recorded 145,562 active cases with the majority of the patients exhibiting mild symptoms (139,606; 95.9%). • 27.6% of the total number of active cases are from the National Capital Region (NCR), followed by CALABARZON (22.1%), Central (12.9%), Central (5.5%), Western Visayas (4.8%). • Out of the total 33,533 confirmed deaths, 57% are male, with the most affected age group 60-69 followed by the age group 70-79 years and the age group 50-59 years. • 29.6% of the total number of deaths reported are from NCR, followed by Central Luzon (12.7%), CALABARZON (12.5%), Central Visayas (8.6%), Western Visayas (6.6%). • DOH recorded 23,611 health care workers infections of COVID-19. Of these, 23,148 (98.0%) have recovered, 103 (0.4%) have died and 360 (1.5%) were active cases. Of these active cases, 235 (65.3%) were mild cases, 77 (21.4%) were asymptomatic, 24 (6.7%) in severe condition, 9 (2.5%) in critical condition and 15 (4.2%) in moderate condition. • DOH Alert Levels were publicly posted, with 82 areas under Alert Level 4 and 30 areas under Alert Level 3. Escalated to Level 4 from Level 3 are City (Region 4A), (Region 10), and (). Also escalated to Level 3 from Level 2 is province (Region 7)

1 Data as of 31 August 2021 can be found in the following DOH’s BEAT COVID-19 report. 1

Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 Transmission stage assessment

The Philippines remains in Stage 2, localized community transmission with some geographic areas showing higher transmission intensity and indications of widespread community transmission. There is ongoing evidence of higher transmission in Region III, Region IV-A and in the NCR which are at Stage 3, large scale community transmission.

Regional assessments Among the different regions of the Philippines, a major increase in the number of cases was detected in Region I, Region II and Region X. High mobility trends are seen in Region III, Region IV-A, Region VIII and Region XIII. An increasing trend on ICU and total bed utilization is seen in certain areas of the Regions I, II, III, VI, VIII, XIII and NCR. Cases of Delta variant have been detected in NCR and in the Regions I, III, IV-A, X and XI. The WHO Country Office is closely monitoring trends in areas where cases of Delta variant have been detected and continues to assess the surge capacity of ICU beds, total bed occupancy and oxygen supply at regional and local levels.

In terms of the overall situation of the Philippines, there were 115,453 new cases (104.8 cases per 100,000 population) reported in week 34, that is 15% higher than the previous week (100,206 new cases, 90.9 cases per 100,000 population).

A higher 7-day positivity rate (number of individuals that tested positive/number of individuals tested) was reported for week 34, 26.4% (117,854/447,178), compared to week 33 at 24.8% (109,590/441,191). There was also an increase in the daily number (7-day average) of COVID-19 dedicated ICU beds occupied (3,018 beds this week compared to 2,925 beds last week). An increase in the use of COVID-19 dedicated mechanical ventilators (7-day average) for week 33 (1,731 ventilators compared to 1,632 ventilators last week) was also observed.

Data for analysis was extracted on 30 August 2021 from DOH COVID-19 Case Tracker wherein ROFs and records with no regions were excluded in the analysis. Projected 2021 population (national, n=110,198,654) was used as the denominator.

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 Updates from the last 14 days

Epidemiological updates As of 30 August 2021, a total of 1,989,857 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 33,448 deaths have been reported in the Philippines. The case fatality ratio is 1.7%.

Epi Update Tests Cases Deaths ICU Occupancy COVID-19 1,126,311 180,049 1,042 73% Tests past 14 days Cases past 14 days Deaths past 14 days 4,225 17,668,960 1,605,762 33,533 ICU beds for COVID-19 cases Cumulative unique Cumulative cases Cumulative deaths individuals tested

12.1 % Cumul. Positivity rate

Health service 23,611 1,286 39,773 146,664 provision Healthcare worker cases Hospitals admitting Total hospital beds TTMF beds for COVID-19 as of 31 August COVID-19 patients for COVID-19 COVID-19 cases (cumulative) patients (as of 30 August) 360 68% HCW active cases hospital beds for COVID-19 occupied

Strategic approach to COVID-19 Prevention, Detection and Control

Health Service Delivery • With the continued increase in hospital usage for COVID-19 patients, rationale use of bed capacity is essential to provide care to those most in need. WHO Philippines discussed with the Department of Health mechanisms on implementing step-up care (a holding area for those awaiting Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission) and step-down care (an area to transfer patients no longer requiring ICU admission) within hospitals. Several options were considered including the transfer of recovering patients to modular hospitals, Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs), hotel isolation facilities and schools converted into isolation facilities. • WHO visited Ospital ng , a Level 3 hospital with a 300-bed capacity, City Centralized Isolation Facility, and Philippine International Convention Center Isolation Facility. To ensure the hospital receives only COVID-19 cases requiring hospital care, staff work closely with the City Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) to triage patients and provide consultations through telemedicine. WHO also met with health facilities in Valley to discuss pre-hospital triaging systems and healthcare pathways. • PhilHealth approved the Home Isolation Benefit Package and planned for roll-out in part through a Policy and Practice Forum Series. Home isolation remains a key measure for controlling transmission

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 and reserving hospital beds for those who need them most. WHO is supporting this roll-out through presentations and information material.

Laboratory and Testing • WHO Philippines supported the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for increased gene sequencing capacity. Five subnational laboratories (two in , one each in North Luzon, , and the Visayas) are planned to be equipped with Nanopore MinION technologies. WHO is also supporting the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) on sequence sampling and a vaccine effectiveness study. • WHO analyzed the laboratory network in BARMM and advised on the efficient transport of samples. Two molecular laboratories are being set up in BARMM, one in Provincial Hospital (MPH) and one in Provincial Hospital. • WHO visited the laboratory of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) where plans are underway to expand their Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease laboratory facility with funding support from Asian Development Bank and World Bank. LCP is seeking government funding support for staffing and operational costs.

This facility is set to be the site for laboratory expansion. LCP has also built 5 hospitainers (facilities built from steel containers) that can accommodate additional 100 in-patients.

Surveillance and Contact Tracing

• WHO is supporting the Epidemiology Bureau COVID-19 Surveillance and Quick Action Unit to finalize a guidance document for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) sampling methodology. WHO also conducted an analysis on percent distribution of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) samples by lineage and week of collection.

Contact Tracing Management • A Joint Administrative Order (DICT, DOH, DILG, and NPC) on the guidelines for the inter-operability of digital tools on Contact Tracing was released by DICT, signed and for routing to other government agencies • WHO Philippines facilitated a peer-learning session on the utilization of digital tools for Contact Tracing between City and City. WHO also led the discussion and planning with the private sector through the T3 Task Force (Test, Trace, and Treat), and on the potential areas of collaboration on digital contact tracing.

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 • WHO served as panelist on the Policy Forum on COVID-19 Home Isolation Benefit Package event of PhilHealth in partnership with USAID-ReachHealth project. WHO provided a refresher course on contact tracing, highlighting it as an entry point to the health care pathway.

Risk Communication and Community Engagement • WHO Philippines published the feature article, “Pasig City: A COVID-19 Success Story” and a video on how the city was able to successfully vaccinate all its senior citizens with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The story features best practices in improving the access of the elderly to COVID- 19 vaccines. At present, vaccination of the elderly remains a challenge for most Local Government Units. As of 17 August 2021, only 44% of senior citizens have been vaccinated in the entire country. • WHO participated as speakers to the Diocese of Cubao’s online learning session for COVID-19 prevention and Mental Health & Psychosocial Support in communities, #FaithAndAction. Topics from WHO were on COVID-19 updates and practical considerations and recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in the context of COVID-19.

Vaccines • As of 30 August 2021, a total of 33,306,366 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered either as first or second dose. Out of these, 23,034,629 eligible individuals have received their 1st dose, of which 10,271,726 eligible individuals have received their 2nd dose. • There were 1,602,624 frontline healthcare workers (A1) fully vaccinated and 262,761 partially vaccinated. Collectively, these amount to 114% of the original master list.

Vaccination Coverage per region for Priority Group A1 as of 30 August 2021.

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 • A total of 761,323 senior citizens, or 9.2% of the 8,270,544 masterlisted eligible A2 population, were partially vaccinated against COVID-19 and a total of 3,934,660 senior citizens, or 47.6% of the Priority Group A2 population, were fully vaccinated.

Vaccination Coverage per region for Priority Group A2 as of 30 August 2021.

Operations Support Logistics • WHO Philippines facilitated trainings for the Department of Health on the Essential Supplies Forecasting Tool (53 participants) and on OSL orientation (20 participants). The tool is being used to forecast essential supplies countrywide on ultra-low temperature (ULT) storage and transport for vaccines. • WHO also assisted the Department of Health in the development of training materials on cold chain storage and handling of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines in relation to the “On-Time Delivery” strategy of the National Vaccine Operations Center (NVOC).” The material will be used to train staff working in all vaccination sites in the country.

Partner Coordination

Updates from UNICEF

Strategic Approach

• UNICEF deployed 8 consultants and 3 staff to support priority regions in the COVID-19 vaccination roll out. Recommendations were made on increasing vaccination uptake in priority population with focus on A2-A3, demand generation strategies, and proper cold chain and vaccine management. The UNICEF team has been able to provide technical assistance in 79 vaccination sites in NCR, Region III, IV-A, VIII, IX and BARMM.

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021

UNICEF Consultant doing monitoring visit on COVID -19 roll out immunization in Lakewood,

Kumalarang and Tigbao RHUs in . UNICEF/M.Hilario/6Aug 2021

UNICEF consultant providing cold chain monitoring and Technical support to a vaccination team in Atimonan, Quezon. vaccine management support at Magallanes RHU . UNICEF/A.Catacutan/12Aug 2021 UNICEF/N.Pastrana/6Aug 2021

UNICEF Consultant visit in spacious and well-ventilated room of UNICEF consultant doing cold chain monitoring in Diit District the vaccination site at Isabelo Delos Reyes ES in the City of Health Center in City. UNICEF/J.Flores/6 Aug 2021 Manila. UNICEF/12 Aug 2021/K.Bernardo

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 • UNICEF Cold Chain experts provided support in the assessment of walk-in cold room installation sites in PHO, PHO, PHO, City, and City. UNICEF, with support from donors, will be providing cold chain equipment and other logistics to increase cold chain capacity for COVID-19 vaccines and routine immunization.

UNICEF team supporting assessment of cold chain capacity and site inspection for cold room installation in UNICEF consultant supporting site readiness assessment for a walk- Batangas PHO with the team from DOH SCMS. in cold room at the DOH CHD-XIII new location in Koronadal City. UNICEF/L.Agripa/10Aug 2021 UNICEF/A.Taulani/13Aug2021

1 UNICEF Consultant with SCMS Director doing assessment of Cold Chain capacity of Rizal Province. UNICEF/L.Agripa/12Aug 2021

2 UNICEF consultant providing support on cold chain maintenance and repair for COVID-19 vaccine storage at IPHO- Maguindanao. UNICEF/A.Taulani/12Aug2021

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Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021

UNICEF consultant supporting assessment of cold chain equipment functionality for COVID-19 vaccines in selected health facilities of North with cold-chain team of DOH CHD XII. UNICEF/A.Taulani/5-6Aug 2021

• Increasing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in BARMM.

o UNICEF is providing support towards strengthening of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) capacities in the context of COVID-19 in BARMM through the strategic deployment of communication for development (C4D) and SBCC officers in the region. These include three Information Office (BIO) Communication Officers deployed in , Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; two C4D technical consultants in the Ministry of Health, Health Promotion and Communications Unit and in the BIO; and 15 field-based staff through partner Heath Organization in Mindanao who contribute to COVID-19 vaccination and SBCC for immunization by supporting rural health unit staff in integrated outreach sessions for villages in each of the 42 municipalities in BaSulTa.

o UNICEF, with partner Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, supported the development of a sermon on COVID-19 vaccination by the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta for delivery during Muslim prayers, and the planning for consultations among religious leaders in all 5 BARMM provinces. This considers that recent surveys found that Muslim Religious leaders are the most influential sources of information and guidance to communities and families in their decision making and practices.

o UNICEF conducted a poll on COVID-19 practices and behaviors among adolescents and youth, and that of seniors in their households, through the U-Report platform for adolescents and young people, with almost 9,000 members registered and responding to Polls on all topics.

Provincial consultation with Muslim Religious leaders in Tawi-Tawi. 9

Philippines Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report #84 30 August 2021 Data reported by the Department of Health on 30 August 2021 • Strengthening COVID-19 cold chain, storage and management

o UNICEF together with government health officials conducted field visits to health facilities at provincial and municipal levels to assess adequacy of vaccine storage, and arrange repair of refrigerators and procurement of additional equipment as needed.

o Preparations continued for installation of walk-in cold rooms in all 5 BARMM provinces in the 4th quarter 2021. This included site inspection visits by UNICEF staff and agreement with provincial health authorities on actions needed before installation, including improvements to electricity supply, recruitment of cold chain focal staff.

• Field monitoring visits were conducted by UNICEF to assess progress in COVID-19 vaccination roll out, barriers, and bottlenecks for sharing with Ministry of Health BARMM.

• The ICT4ALS website was established in March 2020 as part of the quick response to the pandemic, providing easy access to relevant learning resources in support of learning continuity for the Alternative Learning System (ALS). Complementing the government's DepEd Commons platform, the website gathers relevant materials for ALS teachers and learners, including official ALS modules, supplementary learning materials, resources on COVID-19 response, and ALS materials developed by UNICEF Philippines and other partner organizations. To date, ICT4ALS has reached more than 100,000 users nationwide. The website is co-managed by UNICEF Philippines and the DepEd ALS Task Force.

• UNICEF released an article on school closure in the Philippines during the pandemic, its potential effects on children, and a call to urge government to reopen schools for in-person learning as soon as possible, and to provide a comprehensive recovery response for students. The article can be accessed through this link.

Updates from International Association for Human Values Foundation Philippines • On August 25-27, International Association for Human Values Foundation (IAHV Philippines) taught its 16th SMRP course, which brings the total number of graduates to 248 from 112 institutions, including government agencies (DOH, DepEd, DILG, OCD), LGUs, hospitals and health centers, police, military, jails, and CSOs. To address the increasing mental health and psychosocial impact of the pandemic, WHO Philippines and DOH supported the July 2020 launch of the Stress Management and Resilience Program (SMRP), an online training program of IAHV Philippines that teaches evidence-based breathing and relaxation techniques to COVID-19 frontliners and first responders for free. Click here to learn more about the program and techniques (ph.iahv.org).

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