3,821 new cases push Philippines’ COVID-19 total to 248,947

The Philippines now has 248,947 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 3,821 new infections on Thursday, the third consecutive day in which more than 3,000 new cases were reported.

Metro Manila still logged the highest number of new infections at 2,079, followed by Rizal with 286, Cavite with 174, Laguna with 168, and Bulacan with 142.

Eighty-six percent or 3,277 of the newly reported cases caught COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

The DOH said the latest figures reported on Thursday were based on data submitted by 105 of the 117 operational laboratories.

The total number of recoveries also rose to 186,058 after 563 more patients recovered from the respiratory illness as the death toll climbed to 4,066 with 80 new fatalities.

The remaining 58,823 are active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 88.3 percent of which are mild, 8.8 percent are asymptomatic, 1.2 percent are severe, and 1.7 percent are in critical condition.

As of September 9, the Philippines had 118 licensed laboratories that had tested over 2.7 million individuals while 46 percent of COVID-19 intensive care unit beds nationwide were occupied and 28 percent of mechanical ventilators were in use.

Meanwhile, weeks ahead of Undas 2020, Metro Manila mayors said they are eyeing a unified policy for cemetery visits for All Souls’ and All Saints’ Days in a bid to avoid possible widespread transmission of COVID-19.

Several local governments earlier announced the closure of cemeteries within their localities for this year’s Undas. -MDM, GMA News