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Philippines records 1,408 COVID-19 recoveries; total cases now at 9,684
By JULIA MARI ORNEDO,GMA NewsThe Department of Health (DOH) reported 199 more cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday, bringing total infections in the Philippines to 9,684.
The DOH also announced that total recoveries rose to 1,408 after 93 more patients have recovered from the respiratory illness, while the death toll climbed to 637 with 14 new fatalities.
A public health expert earlier said that the Philippines is flattening
its curve of infections at a “dramatic” rate seven weeks into quarantine, noting that the case doubling time has increased to 4.6 days compared to the baseline of 2.5 days.Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also reported that the DOH has identified over 36,000 contacts
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Vergeire reported that 117,972 individuals have been tested for COVID-19 as of Monday, 89 percent of whom tested negative while 11 percent were positive.
The number of accredited testing centers also rose to 23 with the certification of the Cebu TB Reference Laboratory.
A total of 77 facilities are undergoing the laboratory accreditation process, 58 of whom are already on Stage 3 and above of the five-step procedure.
The DOH said that 66 percent of the COVID-19 cases as of Monday were from Metro Manila, but noted that infections in the capital region dropped by 71 percent between January to April 19 and April 20 to May 4.
“However, cases in Region VII increased in proportion from 2 percent since January to April 19, 2020 to 42 percent for the period of April 20 to May 4,” the department added. —LDF, GMA News