NEW coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country soared to a new record high of 22,415 yesterday while an Army general who has been fully vaccinated succumbed to the deadly virus, the highest-ranking active military officer who lost the battle against an unseen but lethal enemy.
In its latest bulletin, the Department of Health said the new infections don’t include figures from eight laboratories that failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last September 4.
The new cases surpassed the previous high of 22,366 set just last August 30.
Overall, the total number of cases rose to 2,103,331 while the toll rose to 34,337, counting the 103 new deaths yesterday for a case fatality rate of 1.63.
Among the new fatalities was Brig. Gen. Bagnus Gaerlan, who died at around 5:29 a.m. yesterday at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City where he was confined three days earlier after contracting the deadly virus.
Gaerlan was the assistant division commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division based in Zamgoanga de Sur. He was a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1989.
Active cases rose to 159,633 from 157,438 last Sunday, with 92.1 percent mild cases, 3.3 percent asymptomatic cases, 2.4 percent moderate cases, 1.4 percent severe cases, and 0.6 percent critical cases.
There were 20,109 more recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 1,909,361. This means that 90.8 percent of COVID patients have recovered.
Before taking over as the No. 2 man of the 1st ID two years ago, Gaerlan commanded the Army’s 102nd Brigade in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Citing an information from Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center chief Dr. Anatalio Cagampang Jr., AFP Western Mindanao Command spokesman Maj. Alfie Alonzo said Gaerlan died of acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19.
Alonzo said Gaerlan has been jabbed with the Sinovac vaccine.
He said Gaerlan tested positive for COVID-19 during an antigen test Thursday last week and was brought to the hospital on the same day. An RT-PCR test the following day confirmed Gaerlan contracted the virus.
The death of Gaerlan brought to 34 the number of military personnel who died of COVID-19.
Maj. Gen. Ernesto Torres, president of the Army chapter of PMA class 1989, said: “It is with deep sadness that we would like to inform the friends and relatives of our mistah (classmate), Brig. Gen Bagnus Gaerlan PMA 89, that he succumbed to the deadly COVID virus early this morning.”
Torres, the current commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division in Davao de Oro, said details of the interment will be released soon.
Torres said Bagnus is the fourth member of PMA class 1989 to die of COVID-19.
The three others, he said, were Jun Unson, Danny Olay, and Allan Cordova who all have retired from the service. He said Unson recently retired from the Navy.
AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said a total of 17,133 COVID-19 cases has been recorded in the AFP as of last Sunday, with 1,323 still active cases.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 130 more Filipinos abroad have contracted the deadly virus while seven others have died.
The number of overseas Filipinos who have been sickened by the virus climbed to 23,036 while the death toll also rose to 1,376 while the number of recoveries increased to 13,215 after 287 new recoveries were reported.
Forty eight percent of 222,700 police personnel throughout the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar.
Eleazar said 45 percent of the PNP’s total strength have received the first dose of a two-dose series vaccine.
In Metro Manila, the epicenter of COVID-19 cases, Eleazar said 63 percent of all policemen have been fully vaccinated while 34 percent have received their first dose.
Eleazar said a PNP survey showed 99 percent of all policemen wanted to be vaccinated and only one percent, or around 2,000 personnel, are hesitant.
As of Sunday, 35,703 PNP personnel have been infected, with 2,238 active cases and 108 deaths. — With Victor Reyes and Ashzel Hachero
