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2,833 new cases push Philippines’ COVID-19 tally to 294,591


The Philippines’ coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tally leapt to 294,591 on Wednesday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,833 new infections.

The bulk of the newly reported cases were still recorded in Metro Manila with 1,222 new infections, followed by Cavite with 228, Negros Occidental with 206, Batangas with 143, and Bulacan with 141.

Eighty percent or 2,280 of the newly reported cases contracted COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries rose to 231,373 after 765 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease.

The death toll also climbed to 5,091 with 44 new fatalities.

“Moreover, 21 cases previously tagged as recovered were reclassified to deaths (16) and active (5) cases after final validation. There is also one (1) case that was previously reported as death but has been validated as recovered,” the DOH added.

The other 58,127 are active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 86.5 percent of which are mild, 9.2 percent are asymptomatic, 1.3 percent are severe, and 3 percent are in critical condition.

As of September 22, 51 percent of COVID-19 intensive care unit beds nationwide were occupied and 26 percent of mechanical ventilators were in use.

The DOH noted a slight “decongestion” of the healthcare system in Metro Manila and Calabarzon, with the critical care utilization rate in the capital region falling to 58 percent as of September 20 from 81 percent in June. 

A leading international medical journal earlier ranked the Philippines 66th out of 91 countries in suppressing COVID-19 in August, partly due to the “medical populism” of President Rodrigo Duterte. —LDF, GMA News

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