20,310 new infections, 2nd highest of all time

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 20,310 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded by the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday, the second time this week that the single-day tally breached 20,000.

Based on the DOH case bulletin, the additional cases pushed the nationwide tally to 2,040,568. Last Aug. 30, the country logged the highest ever daily tally at 22,366 cases.

The latest report also showed 193 more people had succumbed to the infection, bringing the pandemic death toll to 33,873.

The number of recoveries, meanwhile, increased to 1,847,701, with the addition of 7,710 new survivors.

The DOH added that there were 158,994 active cases, representing 7.8 percent of total cases. ?Amid the continuous rise in COVID-19 cases, President Duterte said: “The (vaccine) is really what we can offer you to fight COVID-19. Nothing else. There’s no other defense against the microbe.”

“If you haven’t received your second dose yet, kindly get it as fast as you can. The vaccine is there,” he added.

Duterte lauds Duque, HCWs

Meanwhile, the President lauded embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, as well as health care workers (HCWs), for the recovery of over 1.8 million people afflicted with COVID-19 in the country.

He made the remark as COVID-19 infections in Philippines breached the two million mark this week, a fifth of which were cases reported in August alone.

“Our consolation is that 1.8 million of these have recovered. So there are 200 who haven’t. And that is a very good reflection of what our health people are doing, and I would like also to commend Secretary Duque for that,” Duterte said in his taped public address.?The Chief Executive has repeatedly defended Duque, who is currently under fire for the supposed mismanagement of billions worth of COVID-19 pandemic response funds of the DOH.

Earlier, Duterte vowed to step down if anyone can name a country that was prepared for COVID-19 as his administration faces intense criticism over its handling of the pandemic.

He said COVID-19 infections are rising globally and the effects of the pandemic are being felt even in the United States and Europe.

“Who was prepared for this? America? Name a country that is prepared, I will resign,” he said in a previous public address. – Helen Flores