COVID-19 cases in Philippines breach 98,000 after biggest daily surge
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:06 p.m.) — The Philippines' total caseload of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Saturday reached 98,232 after the Department of Health confirmed 4,963 new infections — the most announced in a single day so far.
30,928 of these represent the total number of active cases, which account for the net of reported recoveries and deaths.
This marks the third consecutive time that the single-day new infection record was broken this week after 3,954 and 4,063 cases were reported on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
The National Capital Region reported the most newly-announced cases at 2,667, followed by Cavite at 405, Cebu at 355, Laguna at 324 and Rizal at 252.
Metro Manila recorded more than half of the newly reported cases or 53%.
The Health department registered 93 additional survivors, bringing the local COVID-19 recovery tally to 65,265.
Meanwhile, the death toll stands at 2,039 after 17 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus.
This week saw 19,280 additional infections on top of the 78,412 recorded as of last Saturday — the most reported in a single week so far.
Over 80 medical societies on Saturday morning appealed for a two-week “timeout” period through an enhanced community quarantine in Mega Manila since the healthcare system in the country has reached its maximum capacity due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The ECQ recommended by medical frontliners is meant to address existing issues on hospital workforce efficiency, failure of case finding and isolation, failure of contact tracing and quarantine, transportation safety, workplace safety, public compliance with self-protection, and social amelioration.
President Rodrigo Duterte has since directed the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to act upon the said call.
More than 17.1 million cases of the coronavirus, including around 668,000 deaths, have been logged globally by the World Health Organization in its latest situation report.
— With reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico
- Latest
- Trending
