Philippines' COVID-19 cases breach 16k with over 1,000 newly reported

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country exceeded 16,000 on Friday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,046 more infections, bringing the total to 16,634.

Out of the cases reported on Friday, only 46 were based on test results released to patients over the last three days.

One thousand were based on test results released to patients four days ago or more.

According to the DOH, fresh cases are test results released to patients within the last three days while late cases are those released to patients for more than four days.

The DOH also reported that 122 more patients have recovered from the illness, bringing the total number of recoveries to 3,720.

Meanwhile, the death toll increased to 942 with 21 new fatalities.

There are 11,069 active cases. Of these, 751 or 6.8 percent are asymptomatic, 10,240 or 92.5 percent are mild, 54 or 0.5 percent are severe, and 24 or 0.2 percent are in critical condition.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the backlog was reduced to 545 as of 1 p.m. on Friday.

Backlogs are COVID-19 test results yet to be released by the laboratories.

The DOH on Friday announced that it was changing the way it was reporting the number of confirmed cases in the country.

The department reported on Thursday that there were 539 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. It clarified on Friday that only 109 of these were fresh cases.

The DOH previously said that the spike in infections this week was due to the agency's increased capacity to validate cases after more encoders were hired.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said that Metro Manila will be placed under a general community quarantine starting June 1. -MDM/NB, GMA News