2,673 new COVID-19 cases push total over 354,000 with 73 new deaths

The Philippines’ tally of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases rose to 354,338 on Saturday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,673 new infections.

The DOH also announced that 539 more patients have recovered from the illness, bringing the total to 295,312, while the death toll climbed to 6,603 with 73 new ones.

Among the new deaths, 49 occurred in October, three in September, 18 in August, two in July, and one in May.

According to the DOH, the top regions with cases in the past 14 days are the National Capital Region with 646 or 28 percent, Region 4A with 603 or 26 percent, and Region 3 with 213 or nine percent.

Eighty-six percent or 2,286, meanwhile, acquired the virus in the past 14 days. A total of 85 cases were also removed from the total case count.

Of the 52,423 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 84.7 percent are mild, 11 percent are asymptomatic, 1.5 percent are severe, and 2.9 percent are in critical condition.

The DOH said 14 laboratories were unable to submit their data.

At present, the country has 147 licensed laboratories that have tested over 4 million individuals. 47 percent of the country’s intensive care unit beds are occupied while 22 percent of the mechanical ventilators are in use.

More than 39.07 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,099,592 have died, according to a Reuters tally. -MDM, GMA News