Coronavirus cases in the Philippines hit 547,255 with 1,960 new infections

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Saturday said 1,960 more people contracted COVID-19 in the Philippines, bringing the national caseload to 547,255. 

Of the total number of cases, 34,967 or 6.4% are marked by DOH as active or as still undergoing treatment. 

Recoveries rose to 500,781 after another 133 people were reported to have beat the virus. 

But the death toll hit 11,507 after another 12 patients succumbed to the disease. 

What's new today? 

• Deaths recorded on Saturday are the lowest since January 17, when the DOH logged 11 new fatalities.
• Health authorities in the Philippines announced late Friday night that they detected 19 more cases of the new coronavirus variant, called B.1.1.7, bringing the total number of cases of the more infectious variant to 44. 
• Mayors in the capital region will ask the coronavirus task force to reconsider its decision to allow cinemas to reopen, said Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez who chairs the council of mayors in Metro Manila. 
• Vaccine confidence is now close to 94% in the Philippine General Hospital, up by almost 20% since last month, its spokesman told One News' "The Chiefs," after the hospital held a "massive" information drive. 
• The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday logged 100 more coronavirus infections among migrant Filipinos, the largest spike reported by the agency in over a week.

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