MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte credited on Thursday the recovery of almost 1.8 million Filipinos infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and health workers.
While acknowledging that the country’s total Covid-19 case count has already surpassed 2 million, Duterte stated that the number of persons recuperating from the coronavirus is a “very good” indication that Duque and medical professionals are exhausting all attempts to combat the pandemic.
“Now, the Philippines has breached the 2 million mark in Covid cases,” Duterte said in his prerecorded Talk to the People. “However, ang konswelo natin (what gives us comfort) is that 1.8 million of these have recovered. So meron na lang 200 na wala (So, only 200,000 people have not recovered yet).”
Duterte praised Duque once again, despite the fact that the Health Secretary is currently under scrutiny for alleged mishandling of Covid-19 pandemic response funds.
Despite ongoing calls for Duque’s resignation, Duterte believed the embattled Health Secretary should be lauded for his efforts in defeating Covid-19.
“And that (number of Covid-19 recoveries) is a very good reflection of what our health people are doing. And I would like also to commend Secretary Duque for that.”
The Philippines reported 16,621 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total to 2,020,484.
About 1,840,294 people who were diagnosed with the coronavirus recovered, while 33,680 died.
In the country, there are still 16,621 active Covid-19 cases.
Be fully vaccinated ‘immediately’, Filipinos urged
Amid the increase in Covid-19 infections, Duterte reminded the public that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect themselves against the coronavirus.
He also encouraged vaccinated Filipinos to receive the second dosage “as fast as [they] can.”
“Alam mo, ang (You know, the vaccination really is what we can offer you to fight Covid-19. Walang iba (There’s no other way). There’s no other defense against the microbe,” Duterte said. “For those who would need the second vaccination, kindly do it also in a hurry.”
As of Wednesday, a total of 34,112,320 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the country.
About 14,109,916 people have already been fully vaccinated, while 20,002,404 are still waiting for the second dose of the vaccine.
