With 2,452 new infections, Philippines coronavirus caseload hits 584,667

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Thursday recorded 2,452 new cases of coronavirus, pushing the national caseload past 584,000.

Of the total 584,667 infections recorded by the DOH, 37,226 or 6.4% are marked as active.

Another 266 people survived the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 535,037.

But the death toll hit 12,404 following reports of another 15 fatalities.

What's new today?

• The initial 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility are en route to the country and are expected to arrive at 7:30 p.m Thursday, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. confirmed to CNN Philippines.
• Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the government is looking to use the jabs from AstraZeneca to vaccinate health workers who are 60 years old and above. The only other vaccine currently available in the country, made by Chinese manufacturer Sinovac, is only recommended by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for those who are 18 to 59 years old.
• After Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan (Quezon 4th District) bypassed the government's own priority list to receive the Sinovac vaccine, Malacañang reiterated that the first shipments of vaccines are exclusively for medical frontliners.

— Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from Xave Gregorio