Philippines’ COVID-19 cases top 272,000 with 3,550 new infections

The Philippines’ coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tally soared to 272,934 after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 3,550 new infections on Wednesday, the ninth straight day in which more than 3,000 new cases were reported.

Metro Manila still recorded the highest number of new infections at 1,459, followed by Rizal with 271, Cavite with 196, Bulacan with 172, and Laguna with 172.

Eighty-four percent or 2,984 of the newly reported cases contracted COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

Total recoveries also rose to 207,858 after 524 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease, while the death toll climbed to 4,732 with 69 new fatalities.

“Moreover, there were nine cases that were previously reported as recovered but after final validation, they were deaths,” the DOH added.

The remaining 60,344 are active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 87.7 percent of which are mild, 8.4 percent are asymptomatic, 1.2 percent are severe, and 2.7 percent are in critical condition.

As of September 15, the Philippines had 126 licensed laboratories that had tested over 3 million individuals while 50 percent of COVID-19 intensive care unit beds nationwide were occupied and 27 percent of mechanical ventilators were in use.

The DOH earlier said it observed a rise in infections in 53 areas across the country aside from four new clusters of cases in Bulacan and Calabarzon. 

“Hindi pa po natin talaga masabi na ang trend is going down,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing.—LDF, GMA News