A Filipino Catholic bishop who got infected with COVID-19 urged unvaccinated people to avail of the vaccination programs offered by the government.
In a video message from his hospital bed in Lucena, Quezon province, on Monday, November 29, Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit of Boac urged the public to join the ongoing “National Vaccination Days.”
“Get vaccinated, not only for you but also for your loved ones,” said Bishop Maralit. “When you join the vaccination program, you are not only helping yourself, you are helping our society,” he said.
The 52-year-old bishop assured the public that he is recovering well and attributed his mild condition of COVID-19 to the vaccine.
“It is very difficult to have COVID and I am one of the witnesses to it,” he said as he thanked doctors and health workers who took care of him and others who are sick.
The Philippines’ “National Vaccination Days,” which started on November 29 and will continue until December 1, aims to vaccinate at least 15 million Filipinos during the three-day activity.
COVID-19 cases in the country continued to dip on Monday at 665 — the lowest single-day tally reported by the Department of Health in over 16 months.
It was the smallest rise in the case count since July 14 last year, when the number of new infections stood at 634.
Official data show that 48.1% of those currently sick exhibit mild symptoms, 6% are asymptomatic, 23.82% are moderate cases, 15.6% are severe, and 6.6% are critical.
The death toll also reached 48,501 with 141 new fatalities. Meanwhile, 993 were added to the survivor count, which climbed to 2,767,585.
Based on the bulletin, 32,639 COVID-19 tests were reported on Nov. 27 — lower than in the last four days, with a positivity rate of 2.1%. – with a report from CBCP News
