Philippines' COVID-19 cases top 516,000 with 1,173 new infections

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines rose to 516,166 on Tuesday after the Department of Health (DOH) announced 1,173 new infections as nine laboratories failed to submit reports on time.

Cebu City recorded the highest number of new cases at 84, followed by Davao City with 67, Cavite with 51, Quezon City with 47, and Rizal with 41.

Recoveries now total 475,423 after 18 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease, while the death toll climbed to 10,386 with 94 new fatalities.

There are also 30,357 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte rescinded an earlier decision of the government’s inter-agency COVID-19 task force to allow children aged 10 to 14 to leave their homes. 

Duterte told kids to stay home amid the threat of a new coronavirus variant, which has so far been detected in 17 cases in the country. 

Malacañang also defended Duterte’s decision to allow limited face-to-face classes to resume in areas under modified general community quarantine and certain schools in areas under GCQ. 

The Commission on Higher Education said limited face-to-face classes would be allowed for students of medicine and allied health sciences. 

The Palace also bucked anew the calls for Duterte to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in public to boost trust in the inoculation program. —LDF, GMA News