Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teddy 'Ted' Herbosa on Monday, Nov. 27, said the public should not be alarmed by the reported surge in respiratory illnesses in China.
Interviewed during DZRH Damdaming Bayan, Herbosa said the respiratory illnesses is not a new virus.
"May na-report tayo diyan sa China at napupuno ang kanilang mga hospital. Siguro talagang winter na kasi doon, malamig na kaya malamang nagkakahawaan na sila ng respiratory illnesses," he added.
Herbosa assured that they are monitoring the reported respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Teddy Herbosa, Secretary, DOH: Binabantayan pa rin natin ang COVID kasi mayroon tayong tinatawag na COVID surveillance ng Epidemiology Bureau ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan.#DamdamingBayan#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) November 27, 2023
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The DOH Secretary noted that the country's weekly COVID-19 cases are not high and that COVID-19 is not worrisome as many Filipinos are vaccinated.
"A few hundred cases pa rin over the past few days. Weekly na ngayon ang bilang namin, hindi naman siya tumataas. At ang COVID ngayon, dahil karamihan sa mga Pilipino ay may bakuna na, hindi tayo masyadong takot sa dami ng mga nao-ospital diyan sa ating kaso ng COVID," he said.
As of Nov. 24, DOH's latest nationwide cases tracking showed that there were 223 new COVID-19 cases in the country which pushed the total active COVID-19 cases to 3,226.
The death toll stood at 66,755 while the number of recoveries at 4,053,939.
Herbosa advised the public to still exercise health precautionary measures, especially now that Christmas celebrations have begun.
"The same principles na natutunan natin noong COVID, frequent handwashing, cough ettiqute — tatakpan ang bungaga at ilong ng siko at huwag sa kamay, kapagkatapos, dalhin niyo pa rin ang alcohol, dalhin niyo pa rin," the DOH official said.
He added that those who have symptoms should stay at home and that those who are considered immunocompromised should wear face masks in crowded places.
Based on international media Reuters' article published last Nov. 24, there has been a spike in respiratory illnesses in China "as it enters its first full winter season since it lifted strict COVID-19 restrictions in December."
The cases among children were reportedly high in northern areas like Beijing and Liaoning province.
In a separate article, Reuters cited the World Health Organization's report that "Chinese health authorities have not detected any unusual or novel pathogens" amid the respiratory outbreaks.
"The data suggests the increase is linked to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions along with the circulation of known pathogens like mycoplasma pneumonia, a common bacterial infection that typically affects younger children and which has circulated since May," the international media stated.
