Primer’s COVID-19 Daily Update: April 1, 2020

To keep you in the loop on the recent COVID-19 situation in the Philippines, Philippine Primer rounded up the latest updates you need to know:

Number of cases

As of 4 p.m. today, the Department of Health records 227 new cases of COVID-19 in the country raising the total count to 2,311. The number of mortalities raised to 96 with an additional 8 deaths today.

Meanwhile, there is one (1) additional recovery bringing the total number of recoveries to 50. 

Clark Airport suspends commercial flights starting April 3

The Clark International Airport (CRK) announced that they will temporarily suspend all commercial flights flying out of the airport effective April 3.

According to the advisory released via their Facebook page, the continuing travel restrictions implemented in the country and abroad as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pushed the management to temporarily suspend flights.

Moreover, the P2P bus operations from CRK to Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be also suspended temporarily.

CRK will still remain operational to service essential cargo flights in support of the government’s effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Flights, however, are expected to resume as travel restriction eases.

Tarlac builds own COVID-19 testing facility

The province of Tarlac is building its own COVID-19 testing facility to help in detecting new cases of the virus in the province.

According to Tarlac Governor Susan Yap, the soon-to-rise testing facility is expected to be completed in two weeks and shall be functional once it passes the Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration’s inspection.

Duterte: All medical donation to be managed by the government

President Rodrigo Duterte, through Administrative Order no. 27, orders all COVID-19 medical supplies, donations, and aid to be managed by the government.

President Rodrigo Duterte during his address to the nation last March 30, 2020/ IMAGE Presidential Communications Operations Office

The A.O. No. 27, which was signed on March 31, states that “all donations to the national government or the Department of  Health (DOH) of medicines, medical equipment and supplies, and other health products intended to address the COVID-19 situation shall be coordinated with and transmitted to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for consolidation.”

These donations are identified as to whether received or accepted from the following entities: foreign governments, private, non-governmental organizations, or any group or individual.

Aid packages, which includes assorted medical supplies, personal protective equipment, and testing kits for coronavirus, donated by the People’s Republic of China undergo disinfection upon arrival at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on March 21, 2020/ IMAGE Presidential Communications Operations Office

Further, the OCD is directed to prepare an inventory of all donations in coordination with DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

To read the entire administrative order, you may visit the Official Gazette.

Baguio City’s Rolling Store

After Pasig and Valenzuela, Baguio City is set to roll out its own version of store-on-wheels—the Baguio City Rolling Market Caravan.

Starting April 3, the rolling store will begin its operation from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at four covered court venues Irisan, Bayan Park Aurora Hill, Loakan, and Pacdal. 

The said store will be selling grocery items and fresh produce to residents in an effort to keep a minimum crowd at the city market. The project will, later on, serve all the 20 districts in the city that cover 128 villages.

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Sources: Department of Health, Offical Gazette of the Philippines, Philippine News Agency