Coronavirus infections in Phl climb past 299,000

MANILA — The country now has more than 299,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as the Department of Health reported 2,630 additional infections Friday.

The additional cases were mostly from Metro Manila (1,091). It was followed by Cavite (196), Laguna (171), Negros Occidental (142) and Rizal (141).

This brought the nation’s caseload to 299,361, of which 61,766 were considered active cases.

Researchers studying the coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines earlier projected that the Philippines would have 310,000 to 330,000 total COVID-19 cases by the end of the month.

The number of COVID-19 survivors increased by 494 to 232,399. Total recoveries accounted for nearly 78% of the country’s total case count.

But 69 more fatalities were reported, pushing the death toll to 5,196. Of the newly-reported deaths, 43 occurred this month.

The government’s inter-agency task force on coronavirus response is now requiring all mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the country to isolate in government facilities, except if they are considered vulnerable or have comorbidities.

Another exemption to the rule would be when governmentoperated facilities are fully occupied.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases also placed Iloilo City under a modified enhanced community beginning September 25 until October.

More than 3.33 million people have been so far tested for coronavirus in the country.

Coronavirus infections soared past 32.136 million globally with at least 981,754 deaths. —