MANILA, Philippines (Update 1 5:53 p.m.) — The Philippines reported 538 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, its biggest one-day leap yet since the outbreak, as the Department of Health ramps up its testing efforts.
From 1,546 infections the day before, the additional cases brought the national total to 2,084.
The country has so far conducted 15,337 tests, including retests and validation. DOH figures revealed that 3,938 persons have been tested since late January.
The recent spikes in the number of cases were attributed to the arrival of test kits and the opening of additional laboratories processing samples across the archipelago.
DOH also said there are 10 additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 88.
Patient 935, 79th fatality
- 83-year old Filipino male from Parañaque City with no travel history
- Died on March 29 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19 infection
Patient 789, 80th fatality
- 74-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with no travel history
- Died on March 20 due to community-acquired pneumonia, COVID-19
Patient 1419, 81st fatality
- 69-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with no travel and exposure history
- Died on March 30 due to septic shock secondary to community acquired pneumonia
Patient 1032, 82nd fatality
- 64-year-old Filipino female from Manila with no travel history
- Died on March 27 due to ARDS secondary to community acquired pneumonia high risk secondary to COVID-19
Patient 2045, 83rd fatality
- 60-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with unknown travel history
- Died on March 26 due to ARDS secondary to pneumonia high risk
Patient 1372, 84th fatality
- 89-year-old Filipino male from Caloocan City with unknown travel history
- Died on March 28 due to fatal arrhythmia secondary to severe acidosis secondary to sepsis; ARDS secondary to COVID-19, shock secondary to bacteremia secondary to community acquired pneumonia high risk, acute kidney injury secondary to sepsis
Patient 1508, 85th fatality
- 72-year-old Filipino male from Rizal with unknown travel history
- Died on March 26 but was only confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 27
- Died due to fatal arrhythmia, hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury, acute respiratory failure
Patient 862, 86th fatality
- 78-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with unknown travel history
- Died on March 25 but was only confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 26
- Died due to acute respiratory failure secondary to community-acquired pneumonia high risk
Patient 1240, 87th fatality
- 51-year-old Filipino male from San Juan City with unknown travel history
- Died on March 28 due to fatal arrhythmia probably secondary to myocarditis; septic shock secondary to COVID-19; refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, acute kidney injury secondary to sepsis
Patient 1680, 88th fatality
- 51-year-old Filipino female from Rizal with unknown travel history
- Died on March 24 but was only confirmed positive on March 25
- Died due to ARDS secondary to pneumonia high risk, severe acute respiratory infection
The number of recovered patients, meanwhile, rose to 49 after DOH reported seven new recoveries.
There are additional 968 patients under investigation and 6,321 patients under monitoring.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday reported that 348 overseas Filipinos from 30 countries and regions in the Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas have contracted the disease.
Of the figure, 228 are undergoing treatment while 111 have recovered. Nine Filipinos based abroad have died.
As Luzon entered its third week on enhanced community quarantine, the government ordered different agencies to convert maritime vessels, hotels, convention centers and sports facilities as quarantine sites.
The national government allotted P200 billion worth of aid for low-income households who are most affected by the growing health crisis.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the globe rose above 784,000 with over 37,600 deaths.
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