Philippines logs 9,296 more coronavirus infections, caseload now at 741,181

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Tuesday recorded 9,296 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 741,181.

• Active cases: 124,680 or 16.8% of the total
• Recoveries: 103, pushing total to 603,310
• Deaths: 5, bringing total to 13,191

What's new today?

• The Department of Health has recommended extending the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces — NCR+— for another week to slow down the surge in COVID-19 cases.
   
• President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night announced that provinces outside the NCR+ bubble in the country will revert to stricter quarantine status in April as he admitted that the Philippines is almost "back to zero" in its pandemic response. 
   
• Duterte on Monday night also announced that he will allow private firms to import COVID-19 vaccines themselves but the existing requirement to enter into tripartite deals with the national government will likely continue to slow the acquisition of the badly-needed jabs, senators warned.
   
• Commuters in the NCR+ bubble will find themselves stranded in the coming days with other transportation modes going into maintenance, the national police warned. 
   
•  The transportation department has rolled out free rides on public utility vehicles on 44 routes for authorized persons outside residences or essential workers. 

— Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from Xave Gregorio 

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