Philippines’ COVID-19 recoveries rise to 975 as cases near 8,000

The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Tuesday that 43 more patients have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing total recoveries to 975 as infections nationwide surged to 7,958 with 181 new cases.

The death toll also climbed to 530 after 19 more patients succumbed to the respiratory disease.

The DOH also reported that 1,336 of the country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are healthcare workers, 29 of whom have died.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that 84,738 people have been tested for COVID-19 as of Monday, 74,743 or 88.2 percent of whom were negative while 9,858 or 11.63 percent tested positive.

She explained that the number of people who have tested positive differs from the reported number of confirmed cases because results still need to undergo validation and processing.

The 19 accredited testing centers nationwide currently have a cumulative testing capacity of 6,320 per day, according to the health official.

Data from the DOH as of Saturday show that 76,030 people have so far been tested for COVID-19, 87.6 percent of whom tested negative while 12.2 percent were positive.

Vergeire earlier said testing centers across the country are now operating 16 hours a day as the government moves to meet its target testing capacity of 8,000 daily by the end of the month.

President Rodrigo Duterte has also ordered the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Science and Technology to augment their workforce in order to operate “day and night.” —LDF, GMA News