This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. (NIAID-RML via AP)
Manila, Philippines — The lingering COVID-19 virus ranked fourth among the leading causes of deaths in the country during the first quarter, the latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed.
Based on data it collected as of April 30, the PSA said deaths due to identified and unidentified COVID-19 combined reached 6,770 or 7 percent of the total 97,042 recorded during the January-to-March period. COVID-19 deaths in the first three months nonetheless dropped 30 percent from 9,654 a year ago.
Data submitted by city and municipal registrars nationwide to the PSA showed that COVID-19 “with virus identified” logged 5,031 deaths as of end-March, on top of 1,739 also attributed to the coronavirus but “not identified.”
National Statistician Dennis Mapa had explained that deaths caused by unidentified COVID-19 were not being reported by the Department of Health (DOH) in its tally, as these cases had been unlikely tested for the disease.
A year ago, COVID-19 deaths with virus identified were a bigger 5,374, while cases with virus unidentified reached 4,280.
Ischaemic heart diseases were the top cause of death among Filipinos during the January-to-March period, with 18,601 cases or nearly a fifth of the total, but down from 31,624 a year ago.
Cerebrovascular diseases were the causes of 10,044 deaths in the same period; neoplasms or cancer, 8,926 deaths; and lower in rank to COVID-19, diabetes mellitus had 6,151 deaths.
From January to March, total deaths in the country fell 43.6 percent from 171,984 last year.