DOH logs 20,019 new COVID-19 cases, 5 labs without data

MANILA, Philippines — Health authorities on Sunday reported 20,019 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country's overall count to 2,080,984.

This marks the third straight day with at least 20,000 new coronavirus infections. 

The Department of Health said 5 laboratories did not submit test results, while 58 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths "after final validation."

"Based on data in the last 14 days, the five non-reporting labs contribute, on average, 0.9% of samples tested and 1.2% of positive individuals," the DOH wrote in its bulletin. 

• Active cases: 157,438 now or 7.6% of the total
• Recoveries: 20,089, bringing the number to 1,889,312
• Deaths: 173, or now 34,234 in total

The DOH added that 119 duplicates were removed from the total case count. Of these, 95 were recoveries while one passed away, 

What's new today?

• Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the government's new quarantine responses, including granular lockdown measures, are still up for the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte. The president sometimes announces new quarantine classifications and protocols in his weekly taped speeches.
   
• Vice President Leni Robredo said she was on her last day of mandatory self-quarantine after "very close" exposure to a COVID-19 case in late August two weeks ago. 
   
• The Philippine National Police has ordered its forces on the ground to intensify its accounting of loose guns across the country ahead of the 2022 elections.
   
• A senator urged local government units to prepare for the vaccination of minors aged 12-17 following the Food and Drug Administration's approval of drugmaker Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. 

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