Philippines’ COVID-19 cases now at 467,601 with 1,885 new infections

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines reached 467,601 on Friday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,885 new infections as 15 laboratories failed to submit data on time.

Quezon City recorded the highest number of new cases at 130, followed by Bulacan with 122, Davao City with 99, Rizal with 78, and Leyte with 63.

Total recoveries also rose to 430,791 after 307 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease, while the death toll climbed to 9,062 with seven new fatalities.

The DOH noted that seven duplicates were removed from the total case count.

There are also 27,748 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine.

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

Researchers previously sounded the alarm on the start of a fresh surge of COVID-19 cases in the capital region amid the holiday season.

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

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.

On Friday, the Palace said President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with the government’s COVID-19 task force and infectious disease experts on Saturday to tackle the new coronavirus strain that emerged in the United Kingdom. -MDM, GMA News