Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Philippines now at 38,511
MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 5:54 p.m.) — Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines increased to 38,511 Wednesday after the Department of Health reported 999 new infections.
Of the additional cases, 595 were detected within the last three days, while 404 were part of the department’s validation backlog.
Metro Manila accounted for most of the fresh cases with 175, followed by Central Visayas with 134. Other regions accounted for 286 of these cases.
Most of the late cases were also from the capital region at 131. Fifty-seven were from Central Visayas, while 216 were from elsewhere.
A new study from OCTA Research projected the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines could soar to 60,000 by the end of July as the country is still experiencing “significant” community transmission of the illness.
The DOH logged 205 more recoveries, raising the number of people who have survived the severe respiratory disease to 10,438.
However, four more people died from COVID-19. This brought to 1,270 the country’s fatality count.
“Kahit na dumadami ang kaso ng COVID-19, dumadami din ang recoveries at kumokonti ang namamatay kumpara sa nakaraang buwan. Ang mabilis na pagtaas ng mga kaso ay makikita sa mga hotspot tulad ng Cebu na maaaring dahil sa high community transmission,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
(Even though the number of cases is increasing, the number of recoveries is also rising while deaths are decreasing compared to last month. The rapid increase in the number of infections is observed in hotspots such as Cebu maybe due to high community transmission.)
President Rodrigo Duterte announced Wednesday that Cebu City will remain under enhanced community quarantine until July 15. Cebu City was first reverted to the strictest community quarantine on June 15 after it saw a spike in COVID-19 infections that has overwhelmed the metropolis’ health system.
Metro Manila, meanwhile, will stay under general community quarantine until mid-July. Other areas that will remain under GQC until July 15 are Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu Lapu City, Mandaue City, Leyte, Ormoc, Southern Leyte, Talisay City, and the towns of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu province.
Some 666,678 people have been so far tested for coronavirus in the country, latest figure from DOH showed.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 510,632 out of the 10.45 million people infected globally since the pathogen first emerged in China late last year.
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