Philippine COVID-19 cases hit 465,724 with 1,776 new infections

The Philippines’ coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tally hit 465,724 on Thursday after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 1,776 new infections as nine laboratories failed to submit reports on time.

Quezon City logged the highest number of new cases at 128, followed by Davao City with 121, Rizal with 94, Western Samar with 57, and Bulacan with 56.

The DOH added that 19 duplicates and 37 cases found to be negative for COVID-19 were removed from the total case count.

Total recoveries also rose to 430,490 after 533 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease, while the death toll climbed to 9,055 with seven new fatalities.

There are also 26,179 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine.

An expert from the OCTA Research group earlier said the holiday surge in infections would become more evident in the first two weeks of January 2021 due to the incubation period of the virus, which could take up to 14 days. 

Researchers earlier sounded the alarm on the start of a fresh surge of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila amid the holiday season. 

Meanwhile, Philippine Council for Health Research Development executive director Jaime Montoya said Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines may be the first to be rolled out in the Philippines if negotiations prove fruitful. 

He added that the 50% efficacy rate of China’s Sinovac vaccine was “acceptable” under the standards of the World Health Organization. 

The Philippines has so far secured 2.6 million doses of British drugmaker AstraZeneca’s vaccine to be paid for by the private sector, while the procurement of an additional 30 million doses may be finalized next week.  — BM, GMA News