COVID-19 cases in Philippines hit 1,171,403

MANILA, Philippines — The total number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines hit 1,171,403 on Friday after the Department of Health reported 6,258 new infections.

• Active cases: 55,531 or 4.7% of the total
• New recoveries: 2,586, bringing total to 1,096,109
• New fatalities: 141, pushing death toll to 19,673

What's new today?

• Mayors of coronavirus epicenter Metro Manila decided to allow religious gatherings up to 30% of venue capacity, easing restrictions that the national government previously capped at 10%.                             
   
• Another stimulus measure worth P405.6 billion dubbed Bayanihan to Arise as One or Bayanihan 3 cleared the House appropriations, paving the way for it to be tackled and voted upon by the whole chamber.
   
• The government's pandemic task force placed athletes bound for the Tokyo Olympics, liquified petroleum gas dealers, retailers and attendants in the priority line for COVID-19 vaccination.
   
• A group within the task force also recommended to include frontline employees of business processing outsourcing industry and the frontline employees of Comelec in the A4 priority list.
   
• Only half of Filipinos are confident in the government's evaluation of coronavirus vaccines, according to a new survey by private pollster Social Weather Stations, which also revealed that only 32% were willing to get inoculated.
   
• As of May 18, 786,528 Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, still far from the government’s target of inoculating 58 million to achieve herd immunity. Meanwhile, 2.5 million have received their first dose.

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