The Philippines’ cumulative case fatality rate remains low at 1.7 percent, Malacañang said on Wednesday, as the country emerged as a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) hotspot in the Western Pacific.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque attributed the low Covid-19 case fatality rate to medical front-liners’ efforts in treating coronavirus-infected individuals.

Roque made the remarks, after the Philippines continues to lead the Western Pacific region in terms of total Covid-19 infections, daily cases and deaths.

“I don’t know about that,” Roque said in a press briefing in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, when sought for reaction. “Alam mo (You know), our case fatality rate has been consistent at 1.7 [percent] which is below the worldwide average of about 2.1 [percent].”

As of Tuesday, the Philippines topped the list of Western Pacific countries with the highest Covid-19 infections, registering 1,403,588 total case count, based on the figures posted on the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO)-Western Pacific Region.

The Philippines was followed by Japan, with 796,829 total Covid-19 infections.

The Philippines on Tuesday logged around 4,479 new Covid-19 cases.

The country has 50,037 active Covid-19 cases, 1,333,464 recoveries, and 24,557 deaths.

The total Covid-19 deaths registered on Tuesday are equivalent to 1.74 percent case fatality rate.

Roque said the country is “ahead of the rest of the world” in terms of Covid-19 treatment.

“That is why continuously palagi nating pinasasalamatan ang ating mga medical front-liner kasi (thank our medical front-liners because) clearly, as far as treatment is concerned, we seem to be ahead of the rest of the world, which explains our below average mortality rate of 1.7 [percent],” he said.

Roque added that “zero” fatality would be achieved, if all Filipinos get vaccinated against Covid-19.

“Ang bakuna po, bagama’t ito’y hindi garantiya na hindi na kayo magkaka-Covid, ito ay garantiya naman na hindi kayo magkasakit ng seryoso o di kaya mamamatay dahil sa Covid. So, kung gusto po nating zero mortality, magpabakuna na po ang lahat (While the vaccine does not guarantee that we won’t catch Covid-19, it is a guarantee that we will not exhibit serious symptoms and we will not die because of Covid-19. So, if we want zero mortality, let us all get vaccinated),” he said. (PNA)