Philippines logs over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases for the 2nd day in a row

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Saturday logged 3,439 new coronavirus infections, bringing the national caseload to 591,138.

Of the total number of cases recorded, 43,323 or 7.3% are marked by the department as active.

Recoveries hit 535,350 after 160 more people recovered from the virus.

But the death toll rose to 12,465 after 42 more patients succumbed to the disease.

What's new today?

• This is the second day in a row that the country has logged over 3,000 new COVID-19 infections. Saturday's tally also marks the highest daily rise since Oct. 12, 2020, when the country logged 3,564 new cases.
• The number of active cases reported by the DOH is the highest since Oct. 24, 2020, when the agency said there were 47,773 patients receiving treatment for coronavirus.
• Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said 38,400 more jabs from AstraZeneca will arrive in the country on Sunday evening. The shipment completes the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility’s initial delivery of 525,600 vaccines to the Philippines.
• The government is also expecting around 20 million coronavirus jabs from Moderna to arrive in the country by end-May or early June, according to Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez. Moderna's vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94%.
• St Luke's Medical Center in a public advisory disputed circulating posts that their intensive care units and ward capacities were at full capacity due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila. "The cases that we are treating remain at manageable levels, ensuring that all our COVID-19 patients will get quality care," it said. 

— with reports from Xave Gregorio 

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