DOH reports 23,134 new COVID-19 infections; active cases at 184,088

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Saturday reported 23,134 more COVID-19 infections, the second highest daily increase in cases since the start of the pandemic.

The Department of Health said the total confirmed cases in the country were 2,347,550. 

The country is battling a record rise in infections, driven by the hyper-contagious Delta variant.

• Active cases: 184,088 or 7.8% of the total
• Recoveries: 27,024 or, bringing total to 2,126,879
• Deaths: 255, raising toll to 36,583

In its latest bulletin, the DOH reported a positivity rate of 26% out of 73,635 tests.

No peak yet

• The Department of Health said that COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila have not peaked yet. The agency made the statement in response to the preliminary projection of OCTA Research fellow Guido David that cases in the capital region have already peaked.
   
• The RT-PCR test kits that the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management bought for the DOH last year were not near expiry, the health agency said.
   
• A new study released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday suggested the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine confers better long-term protection against hospitalization than Pfizer.
   
• Nearly a million doses of the COVID-19 made by Moderna arrived in the country on Saturday afternoon. A total of 190,000 doses of Sputnik V (Component 2) vaccine will also arrive tonight.