Friday, July 2, 2021

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

Covid-19 cases rise again to over 6,000

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 01:26 AM PDT

AFTER four days of staying below 6,000, new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) reached 6,192 on Friday, July 2, 2021.

More deaths were also recorded, topping 100 for the fourth consecutive day.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,192 new cases, 177 additional deaths and 2,212 recoveries.

These brought the total case count to 1,424,518, of which 55,482 were still active cases.

The additional deaths raised the death toll to 24,973. The case fatality rate remained at 1.75 percent.

Total recoveries increased to 1,344,063, or 94.4 percent of the total case count.

Of the active cases as of June 30, 91.5 percent were mild, 3.8 percent were asymptomatic, 2 percent were severe, 1.4 percent were moderate, and 1.4 percent were critical. (HDT/ SunStar Philippines)

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Marijuana, firearms seized in Bulacan raid

Posted: 02 Jul 2021 12:09 AM PDT

POLICE arrested a man, and seized over P2 million worth of marijuana and a cache of firearms during a raid in Malolos, Bulacan, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar said on Friday, July 2, 2021.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives arrested Jason Relucio King, 46, owner of the house raided in Barangay Longos on Thursday morning, July 1.

Eleazar said the raid was based on a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Recovered during the operation were three rifles, a shotgun, a submachine gun, seven handguns of different caliber and assorted ammunition as well as 11 kilograms of marijuana with an estimated value of P2.2 million.

As standard procedure, all firearms confiscated will be subjected to ballistics examination for cross-matching with the firearms involved in shooting incidents.

Eleazar said most of the firearms were found to be registered under King, but the latter's residence is in Valenzuela City Metro Manila while the firearms were found in his house in Malolos.

"Nakasaad kasi sa ating batas if you have LTOPF (License to Operate and Possess Firearms), kung saan address nakalagay dapat nandun lang yun. You cannot transfer that unless you get authorization of permit to transfer these firearms," he said.

He said the PNP received information that King is the leader of a private armed group involved in illegal activities.

King was arrested in drug bust in Quezon City in June 2019, along with his brother. Recovered from them then were over P160,000 worth of marijuana. Why he is not in jail was not explained. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)

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Over 1,000 flee from erupting volcano

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 10:34 PM PDT

MORE than 1,000 individuals have evacuated due to the increase unrest of Taal Volcano, the National Disaster Risk and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Friday, July 2, 2021.

The NDRRMC said 13 barangays in the towns of San Nicolas, Laurel, Agoncillo, Taal, Tanauan and Balete are affected.

A total of 345 families or 1,392 individuals were affected. Of the total, 317 families or 1,282 individuals are being housed in evacuation centers. The rest are staying with relatives.

Eleven facilities, including a covered court and public schools in the towns of Agoncillo, Balete, Laurel and Nasugbu, serve as evacuation centers.

The agency said the number of evacuees may increase to 3,523 families or 14,495 individuals.

This is the total number of people living in high-risk barangays in the towns of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas.

Calabarzon Police Regional Office Director Eliseo Cruz said he has ordered the Batangas Provincial Police Office to activate its Provincial Disaster Management Task Group and Special Task Groups on security, peace and order, emergency response and quick reaction teams.

These groups will assist the police in affected localities, ensure security and order in evacuation centers, and strictly enforce health protocols against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Cruz directed the Laguna and Cavite Provincial Police Offices to activate their disaster management control points to discourage non-residents, especially tourists, from going to Tagaytay and other affected areas.

Volunteers or donors of relief goods are advised to proceed directly to the Batangas Provincial DRRMO hub.

The Calabarzon Disaster Incident Management Task Group has also been activated in case the situation worsens.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo also said personnel, vehicles and equipment from the 2nd Infantry Division and the Philippine Air Force's 730th Combat Group were deployed in the affected municipalities.

He said other units of Southern Luzon Command were ready to provide augmentation.

"We have placed more personnel on alert and ready for immediate deployment. Communications equipment was also deployed. Other AFP units were constituted as disaster response teams (DRTs) including officer-led reservists with equipment were placed on standby alert and propositioned at Fernando Airbase in Lipa City," Arevalo said. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)

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Covid-19 vaccines free, DOH stresses after arrest of 3 over vaccine sale

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 10:20 PM PDT

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, July 2, 2021, reminded the public that the vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) are free and may be accessed only through government or private sector vaccination sites.

Any vaccines offered for sale outside these sites are questionable because only the government can access the vaccines for now.

"The vaccines are free. These are not for sale," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed in a media forum Friday.

"Secondly, we would like to remind everybody to register only with the local government units. Don't buy vaccines from people outside the government because only the government can access the vaccines for now," she added.

Vergeire issued the reminder after three people involved in the illegal sale of vaccines were reported to have been arrested in Quezon City.

She said the DOH was aware of the entrapment conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against a nurse allegedly involved in the selling of Sinovac vaccines.

"Ako ay nalulungkot...na (I am sad that) people are taking advantage of what we have right now. Kulang na kulang na ho tayo sa resources so sana po, ang ating mga kababayan, maisip nila na kailangang kailangan po itong mga bakunang 'to," Vergeire said.

(I hope our fellow countrymen will realize that people need these vaccines badly.)

On the reported failure of some vaccinators to administer the vaccine, Vergeire said investigations were being conducted.

"We do not intend to penalize anybody. We are investigating all these reports to improve the process," she said.

"We will penalize if it is intentional. But we can see that these lapses were just human errors," she added.

Vergeire said most vaccinators have had decades of experience in injecting the vaccines. They underwent orientation and training before the Covid-19 vaccination program began.

Everytime a new vaccine brand arrives, an orientation is also conducted because each vaccine has unique requirements. The vaccinators are given instructions on how to store the vaccine, extract it from the vial and administer it. Even the syringes differ.

Vergeire said local government units may adopt additional protocols and guidelines to prevent such incidents.

"If they think it would be good, for example, to show the syringe before and after jabbing to the vaccinees, then we will support them," she said.

Videos of vaccinators sticking the syringe into a recipient's arm, but failing to push the plunger and inject the vaccine have circulated on social media.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said the private sector is setting up vaccination sites to complement the vaccination campaigns of local government units (LGUs).

In Cebu, the private sector-led Project Balik Buhay has opened 12 vaccination sites to ramp up inoculations among officials and employees of private companies.

As of June 27, more than 7.53 million individuals have received the first dose. A third of them, over 2.5 million, have also received the second dose. The total doses administered in the country topped 10 million. (Marites Villamor-Ilano with a report from HDT/SunStar Philippines)

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Residents near Taal urged to wear N95 masks, stay home

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 08:19 PM PDT

AS SULFUR dioxide levels from the erupting Taal Volcano remained high, the Department of Health (DOH) urged residents near the area to wear N95 masks and goggles, cover up and minimize skin exposure, and, as much as possible, stay at home to minimize health problems.

Sulfur dioxide, which is released from a volcano when magma is near the surface, irritates the eyes and skin, and causes respiratory problems, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday, July 2, 2021.

"Baka marami po sa inyo nakakaranas ng parang mahirap huminga, mabigat ang dibdib, o kaya ubo ng ubo, o makati ang lalamunan at ilong, ito po ay maari na epekto nitong sinasabi nating particles nitong sulfur dioxide emissions," she said.

(A lot of you may be having difficulty breathing, coughing, or suffering from sore throat and nose. These are caused by the sulfur dioxide emissions.)

Residents are urged to stay at home, close doors and windows, and listen to instructions from their local government units.

If they must go out, they should wear N95 masks and goggles, long-sleeved clothes and pants.

Vergeire said an N95 mask is more effective in preventing inhalation of sulfur dioxide emissions.

Taal Volcano erupted with a short-lived dark grayish phreatomagmatic plume that rose by about one kilometer from the main crater at 3:16 p.m. Thursday, July 1, more than a year after its last eruption on January 12 to 13, 2020.

It was followed by four short phreatomagmatic bursts at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m. and 8:20 p.m., each producing short jetted plumes that rose about 200 meters above the main crater lake for up to two minutes.

In an advisory at 8 a.m. Friday, July 2, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said its Taal Volcano Network recorded 29 volcanic earthquakes, including one explosion-type earthquake, 22 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes and two volcanic tremor events of three minutes over the last 24 hours.

Low-level background tremors have persisted since April 8, 2021, it added.

High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose as high as 3,000 meters and drifted southwest and southeast were observed from the main crater.

Phivolcs said sulfur dioxide emission averaged 13,287 tonnes/day on July 1.

In addition, vog (volcanic smog) was observed over Taal Volcano and vicinity.

Based on ground deformation parameters from electronic tilt, continuous GPS and InSAR monitoring, Taal Volcano Island began deflating in April 2021.

Taal Volcano is under Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest), which means magma extruding from the main crater could drive explosive eruption.

Phivolcs has declared the entire Taal Volcano Island as a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).

Entry into the island as well as into the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel have been prohibited and the residents have been ordered to evacuate due to the hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami.

"Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify," Phivolcs said.

Civil aviation authorities were also urged to advise pilots to avoid flying over Taal Volcano Island as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and pyroclastic density currents such as base surges may pose hazards to aircraft. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)

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