DOH records 77 new COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 77 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 307.

Based on DOH data, there were five patients who overcame the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 13.  The death toll rose from 18 to 19.

Those who recovered are a 35-year-old Filipino female (PH62) from Rizal who had no travel or exposure history and a 75-year-old Filipino female (PH41) from Makati City who traveled to the US and had an exposure history to known COVID-19 cases.

Among those who recovered is a couple – a 70-year-old Filipino male (PH16) and his 69-year-old wife (PH17) – from San Juan and a 72-year-old Filipino male (PH49) from Batangas who had history of exposure to a positive case.

DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said yesterday that it is “inefficient” to do mass testing of possible COVID-19 cases. 

“Even if you test everyone now, with this ongoing transmission after one week or two weeks, you will have to test them again because the transmission is there, it is sustained in the community,” she said.           

This, as the DOH announced yesterday that five sub-national laboratories are now operating alongside the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

These are San Lazaro Hospital and Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center for Luzon, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for the Visayas and Southern Philippines Medical Center for Mindanao. These laboratories are able to process between 50 to 300 tests daily. – With Janvic Mateo

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