Philippines sees 16,621 new COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — Health authorities on Thursday reported 16,621 more coronavirus cases to bring the country's total to 2,020,484.

Today's figures also saw active cases up by 5,561 from the 140,949 on September 1. The Department of Health said five laboratories did not submit test results. 

• Active cases: 146,510 or 7.3% of the total


• Recoveries: 10,965, bringing the number to 1,840,292


• Deaths: 148, or now 33,680 in total

Lower pandemic response budget

• Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told lawmakers the DOH requested P73.99 billion for the country's COVID-19 response next year, but the Department of Budget and Management approved only P19.68 billion. 


• Metro Manila's virus reproduction rate has decreased below critical level but cases are still seen to go up, according to OCTA Research. 


• The Philippine National Police said it will deploy more cops in public areas such as malls to ensure health protocols are being followed, as "-ber" months begin.


• The government released a new price cap for RT-PCR tests in a bid to make coronavirus testing more accessible to Filipinos. 


• Some 703,000 new doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine reached the Philippines.