Philippines' COVID count up by 1,974 more cases

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Thursday said 1,974 more Filipinos contracted the COVID-19, bringing the country's total count of infections to 2,811,248.

Authorities said 1.0% of the overall caseload remain as active cases. DOH said, too, that two laboratories failed to submit COVID-19 testing output. 

• Active cases: 28,660 or 1.0% of the total


• Deaths: 142, pushing the count to 44,866


• Recoveries: 2,388 bringing the number to 2,737,722

Alert level system expanded nationwide

• President Rodrigo Duterte approved the expansion of the government's alert level system to the rest of the country after its pilot run on Metro Manila and select areas.


• A nationwide survey by OCTA Research showed Filipinos' approval of the government's pandemic response declined by 30%, or from 80% in July to 50% in September. 


• Malacañang said it looking if the government's National Vaccination Days from November 29 to December 1 would be declared holidays. 


• Metro Manila mayors agreed to require vendors in Christmas bazaars to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 this approaching holiday season. 


• The Philippines received 866,970 more doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Latest data showed there are now 30.47 million Filipinos complete with their shots, or 39.51% of the government's target of 77.13 million this year.