Philippines posts 318 new COVID-19 cases; positivity rate at 2.2%

The Philippines documented on Monday 318 more COVID-19 infections, raising the Philippines' total case count to 2,838,792.

Of the 318 new cases, the Department of Health data indicated that 315 infections or 99% occurred within 14 days from December 9 to December 22, 2021. It also said most of the cases were from Metro Manila with 130, followed by Calabarzon with 51 and Central Luzon with 28.

The DOH also reported 9,579 active cases, of which 445 are asymptomatic, 3,644  are mild, 3,339 are moderate, 1,777 are severe, and 374 are critical.

Ngayong 4 PM, Disyembre 27, 2021, ang Department of Health ay nakapagtala ng 318 na karagdagang kaso ng COVID-19. Samantala ay mayroon namang naitalang 255 na gumaling at 11 na pumanaw.

Sa kabuuang bilang ng mga naitalang kaso sa bansa, 0.3% (9,579) ang aktibong kaso, pic.twitter.com/FoaDxRdz5g

— Department of Health (@DOHgovph) December 27, 2021

Recovery tally in the country reached 2,778,002, with 255 new ones, DOH said.

Figures from DOH also indicated that 11 more people died due to the severe respiratory ailment, pushing the nationwide COVID-19 death toll to 51,211.

Of the 11 deaths, nine occurred in December 2021 (82%) and two in October 2021 (18%).

The nationwide positivity rate also went up from 2.0% on Sunday to 2.2%. But this is still within the World Health Organization's target of below 5%.

To date, 14,237 COVID-19 tests were conducted.

With cases decreasing, the DOH also reported a low occupancy rate in the nation's healthcare system with 18% of intensive care unit beds being utilized while 10% mechanical ventilators are in use.

In the National Capital Region, 21% ICU beds are utilized while 12% ventilators are in use.

Moreover, the DOH deleted 166 infections, which are tagged as recoveries, because they were found negative.

Also, the DOH revised the number of COVID-19 recoveries and deaths after reclassifying five recoveries into fatalities.

A total of two laboratories were not operational on Christmas Day, December 25, 2021 while 26 laboratories failed to submit their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS).

"Of these 26 laboratories, 12 confirmed that they were closed and non-operating on December 25, 2021," the DOH said.

"Based on  data in the last 14 days, the 28 non-reporting labs contribute, on average, 9.5% of samples tested and 6.4% of positive individuals," it added.—LDF, GMA News