Philippines reports 1,761 new COVID-19 cases, total almost at 377,000

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines climbed to 376,935 on Thursday after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 1,761 new infections as nine laboratories failed to submit their reports on time.

According to the DOH, the areas with the highest number of new infections were Quezon City with 85, Rizal with 74, Caloocan City with 73, Davao City with 70, and Laguna with 69.

Meanwhile, 740 more patients have recovered from the illness, bringing the total to 329,848, while 33 new fatalities brought the death toll to 7,147.?

Of the new deaths, 26 occurred in October, three in September, three in August, and one in July.

There are also 39,940 remaining active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine. Among this, 83.3 percent are mild, 10.9 percent are asymptomatic, 2.1 percent are severe, and 3.7 percent are in critical condition.

Fifty-five percent of the country’s intensive care unit beds remain available and 78 percent of the mechanical ventilators are ready for use.

The DOH has announced that it is preparing for a possible increase in COVID-19 cases as restrictions in public transport are being relaxed, particularly on the number of passengers allowed.

Meanwhile, results of a recent Social Weather Station survey showed that only 23% of Filipinos believe that the number of positive COVID-19 cases being reported by the government is "probably right," while many believe it is either under-reported or over-reported.—AOL, GMA News