Philippine COVID-19 cases top 452,000 with 1,156 new infections

The Philippines’ coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caseload increased to 452,988 on Wednesday after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 1,156 new infections as five laboratories failed to submit reports on time.

Davao City tallied the highest number of new cases at 126, followed by Quezon City with 66, Rizal with 64, Bulacan with 56, and Manila City with 38.

Recoveries also rose to 419,282 after 425 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease, while the death toll hit 8,833 with 21 new fatalities.

The other 24,873 are active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine.

The DOH earlier said 12 cities in Metro Manila were being monitored after their daily attack rate and reproduction number breached 1. 

A reproduction number of 1 indicates the continued spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III clarified that the Philippines’ negotiations with pharmaceutical firm Pfizer for a COVID-19 vaccine were still underway. 

Senator Panfilo Lacson and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had claimed that the delivery of Pfizer vaccines was initially scheduled for January 2021 but was pushed after someone “dropped the ball” during negotiations. —LDF, GMA News