Phl COVID cases rise to 356,618
A total of 2,379 new infections reported yesterday raised to 356,618 the nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
The DOH said 1,580 (66 percent) of the 2,379 new cases occurred within the last 14 days.
It also reported 14,941 new recoveries, bringing to 310,158 the number of patients who recuperated from the potentially deadly infection.
These latest figures brought the number of active cases down to 39,808, of which 82.8 percent were classified as mild infections.
Most or 28 percent of the newly reported cases were still from the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila, 20 percent from Calabarzon ( Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon or Region 4-A), and 11 percent from Central Luzon or Region 3.
COVID- related deaths reached 6,652 with 50 reported as new or having occurred as recent as October (18 deaths) and as far back as June.
Most or 62 percent of the fatalities came from NCR, 14 percent from Central Luzon, and 10 percent from Calabarzon.
The DOH said over 4.1 million individuals have been tested for COVID, not including the latest data from 14 laboratories that failed to submit their report to the COVID 19 Data Repository System.
COVID-positive ROFs
Meanwhile, the number of returning overseas Filipinos ( ROFs) who tested positive for COVID is close to reaching 10,000. As of Oct. 16, the number stood at 9,236.
The DOH’s COVID-19 Philippine Situationer reported that 4,875 of the COVID-positive ROFs are land-based workers while 4,361 are sea-based.
It said 454 of them are still admitted in hospitals while 8,794 have recovered. Five ROFs have died of the infection.
Meanwhile, a total of 449,583 ROFs of the 453,420 who arrived in the country since the start of the pandemic have already been released from quarantine facilities.
There are also 341 foreign nationals in the country who have tested positive for the disease.
On the other hand, a total of 2,490 Filipinos staying overseas have been confirmed positive for COVID-19.
The figure, DOH said, represents only 22 percent of the total 11,145 Filipinos abroad confirmed COVID positive as reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.