spot_img
28.1 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Erap confined for COVID, in stable condition

- Advertisement -

Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada was hospitalized late Sunday and was found positive for COVID-19, his sons said Monday.

Estrada, 83, was taken to the hospital because he was weakening, former senator Jinggoy Estrada said.

In a tweet Monday afternoon, another son, JV Ejercito, said the former chief executive waited overnight at the emergency room because of the hospital’s full occupancy.

“My father was rushed yesterday afternoon but stayed overnight at the emergency room because no room was available,” Ejercito, also a former senator, said.

- Advertisement -

Estrada was admitted only by 11 a.m.

Former President Gloria Arroyo on Monday said she hoped for the swift recovery of Estrada, her predecessor.

“I wish to extend my warmest wishes for a speedy recovery to former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada and all those battling Covid-19. You are in my thoughts and prayers,” Arroyo, also a former speaker, said in a statement sent to reporters covering the House of Representatives.

Belmonte tests positive again

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said Monday she has contracted the coronavirus disease for the second time.

“Eight months after my first bout with COVID-19, I am very sad to report that I have once again tested positive for the virus,” she said on Facebook. The mayor first tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, in July last year.

Belmonte said she was only experiencing mild symptoms and was at a quarantine facility in the city.

PCOO chief positive too

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday said he has been diagnosed with the coronavirus disease.

“Though I am asymptomatic, I was immediately isolated and placed on home quarantine,” Andanar said in a statement. “Rest assured, I am okay, and I will still continue to work hard and to perform my duties well, including hosting regular shows to inform the public, as I recuperate from the virus.”

He also asked the public not to entertain “the claims of malicious gossip mongers, that are being circulated through text messages” on his violating travel restrictions, saying he would never jeopardize the well-being of others.

No response yet from mayors

Mayors who jumped the line in COVID-19 vaccinations have yet to respond to show-cause orders issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. DILG officer-in-charge Bernando Florece said the mayors were given three days to file their response. Only Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City has filed a response, Florece said.

Others asked to explain why they received jabs ahead of health workers were Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City, Mayor Dibu Tuan of T’boli town in South Cotabato, Mayor Sulpicio Villalobos of Sto. Niño town in South Cotabato, and Mayor Abraham Ibba of Bataraza town in Palawan.

NCR quarantine facilities now 64% full

The occupancy of beds in quarantine facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR) is now at 64.48% percent with the increasing COVID-19 cases in the region, theto Public Works Secretary and isolation czar Mark Villar said Monday. Villar said the isolation beds nationwide are enough, saying that only 19,877 beds from the 131,517 total available are being used.

“From this data, a total of 3,708 beds from the 5,751 beds are occupied in Metro Manila. This is the reason we are doing our best to fast-track remaining ongoing quarantine facilities, especially within the NCR bubble,” Villar said. 

COVID-19 meds enough, FDA says

The country has enough supply of medicines being used to treat COVID-19 patients, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief said Monday.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo assured the public almost a week after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that the supply of medicines used to treat COVID-19 patients was running low.

“On dexamethasone, we did not have problems there [in terms of supply]. For the other medicines, we had problems because there has been an increase in the number of patients and the hospitals’ supplies were depleted. But we have issued a compassionate special permit for remedesivir, and there will be deliveries for immediate use,” Domingo said during the Laging Handa briefing. 

Decision on Ivermectin undergoes scrutiny

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has authorized the House of Representatives committee on health to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the decision of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to disallow the use of anti-parasitic drug called Ivermectin for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infections.

The health committee chaired by Quezon District Rep. Angelina Tan scheduled a hearing on March 30, Tuesday, to tackle, among others, the move of FDA to prevent the use of Ivermectin despite its potential and promise as a drug treatment in other countries.

On March 25, party-list Rep. Enrico Pineda filed House Resolution 1684 seeking an explanation from the FDA regarding its decision on Ivermectin and for Congress to enact regulations that will ensure the FDA and the Department of Health (DOH) will consider all possible cures for COVID-19.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles