With 1,941 new infections, COVID-19 tally in the Philippines rises to 535,521

MANILA, Philippines — Coronavirus cases in the Philippines climbed to 535,521 on Saturday after the Department of Health logged 1,941 new infections. 

Of the total number of cases, 35,946 or 6.7% are marked as active by the DOH. 

Another 234 people reportedly beat the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 488,465

But the death toll rose to 11,110 after 52  more succumbed to the disease. 

What's new? 

• Local health authorities on Friday said they detected eight more cases of the new and more transmissible COVID-19 variant first identified in the United Kingdom, bringing the running total to 25. 
• Filipinos will be among the first to receive coronavirus vaccines from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility, the British Embassy Manila said Friday. Of the around 10 million jabs set to arrive on or before March, it added, a majority will be AstraZeneca vaccines which are 70% effective. 
• The Department of Foreign Affairs' tally of countries and territories where Filipinos have contracted coronavirus rose to 86 this week after it added another entry. On Friday, the agency revealed that the new report came from "a country in the Americas" but did not offer any further identification. 

— Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from Xave Gregorio 

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