The Department of Health (DoH) assured the public on Sunday that there is “no cause for alarm” despite reported increases in Covid-19 cases in certain Southeast Asian countries.
In a statement, the DoH stressed that it is actively coordinating through established mechanisms like the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) which gives its verified information and boosting readiness even as it sees no cause for alarm.
Earlier, Hong Kong and Singapore reported a surge in Covid-19 infections.
In Singapore, the latest data indicated that the estimated number of Covid-19 cases for the week ending 3 May rose to 14,000, up from 11,100 in the preceding week. Singapore’s Ministry of Health disclosed that there was no indication that the circulating variants were more transmissible or caused more severe illness.
Hong Kong, on the other hand, reported that its “major surveillance indicators” for Covid-19 had reached a one-year high, likely due to “changes in predominant circulating strains and declining herd immunity.”
While Hong Kong’s health agency did not provide the total number of cases, it reported 81 severe adult cases, including 30 fatalities, in the past four weeks.
In the Philippines, the DoH reported 1,774 Covid-19 cases so far this year as of 3 May, a decrease of approximately 87 percent compared to the 14,074 cases recorded during the same period in 2025.
The case fatality rate is 1.13 percent, and recent trends indicate a “slight decrease” in reported cases over the past three to four weeks. The number of cases in the Philippines decreased from 71 in the weeks of 23 March to 5 April to 65 in the weeks of 6 to 19 April 2025.
“We are committed to keeping the public informed and will provide timely updates should the situation evolve,” the DoH said. “We encourage everyone to stay informed through official agency channels and continue practicing the same preventive measures that protect from other diseases.”
The DoH reiterated its reminders for the public to consistently wear face masks in healthcare facilities, stay home when feeling unwell, practice proper respiratory hygiene, and seek early medical consultation if symptoms develop.