Philippines’ COVID-19 cases now at 76,444 with 2,103 new infections

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country surpassed 76,000 on Friday with 2,103 new infections —of which 1,029 are “fresh” or newly validated and 1,074 are late, bringing the total to 76,444.

This marks the tenth consecutive day where over 1,300 new infections were reported and the fourth time in the past weeks where new cases breached 2,000.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), the five provinces or cities with the highest number of new cases are the National Capital Region with 1,272; Cebu with 291; Laguna with 107; Rizal with 83; and Cavite with 53.

The DOH also announced that total recoveries rose to 24,502 with 144 new ones while 15 more fatalities brought the nation’s death toll to 1,879.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the 15 deaths, 11 or 73 percent occurred in July while three, 20 percent took place in June, and the remaining one in April.

There are also 50,063 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine. Of this, 90.15 percent are mild, 8.93 percent are asymptomatic, 0.49 percent are severe, and 0.43 percent are in critical condition.

Meanwhile, 49 duplicate cases have been removed from the total case count.

Health system improvements

In a live briefing, Vergeire stressed that the country’s mortality doubling time has improved to 11.97 days in July from 8.28 days in June.

“Ibig sabihin, noon, ay dumodoble ang bilang ng mga namamatay sa COVID-19 sa loob lamang o sa loob ng walong araw. Ngayong, July 17, 2020 humaba na po ito. Dumodoble na lamang po ang bilang ng mga namatay sa COVID-19 sa loob po ng halos 12 araw,” Vergeiere said.

Meanwhile, the country’s case fatality rate has dropped to 2.6 percent as of July 22 from the previous 6.7 percent on April 30.

“Ang nakikita po nating dahilan dito ay dahil sa continuously improving na case treatment and management protocols ng ating bansa sa pagha-handle ng COVID-19 patients,” she said.

End of July

Experts from the University of the Philippines earlier projected that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country may reach more than 85,000 by the end of July.

The projection, which includes a projected 2,200 deaths by end-July, was based on an assumption that the virus' current reproduction number will remain and government interventions will not change significantly.

If this happens, presidential spokesperson Hary Roque said that Metro Manila might be returned to the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from general community quarantine to contain the spread.

“That’s a distinct possibility, although it’s a possibility that I wish would not happen,” Roque had said in a television interview.

He added the economy could not afford another shutdown, but “if we have to and there’s no alternative, we need to do it.”—LDF, GMA News