MANILA — The Department of Health on Wednesday said the total number of coronavirus cases in the country surpassed the 50k mark at 50,359 to be exact after the DOH reported 2,539 new cases.
That number crushed the previous record of 2,434 on new cases recorded last Sunday, July 5, even as it shoved PH’s total coronavirus cases to a new alarming level of 50,359.
Of the confirmed 2,539 cases, 1,922 cases of which were “fresh,” or results from three days ago while the “late” cases from form days ago or more reached 617.
Metro Manila lorded it over in new cases count at 883 while Central Visayas only had 369.
The number of survivors increased to 12,588 after 202 more people beat the disease even as five (5) patients succumbed to it, bringing the total on fatalities to 1,314.
In the real sense, however, there is only a total of 36,457 active cases in the country less the count of recoveries and deaths.
Community transmission
Community transmission is one of the major factors for the increase of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections in Metro Manila apart from the increased testing capacity of laboratories nationwide DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said as community restrictions eased up.
“Lalo napapa-igting ang community transmission kung lax o hindi naten sinusunod ang (Community transmission intensifies when we’re lax or not practicing) minimum public health standards,” she said.
Emphasizing that health protocols would keep the public healthy and safe against Covid-19, Vergeire advised the public to always wear masks, practice safe physical distancing, and observe home quarantine measures while waiting for Covid-19 swab test results.
“It may sound repetitive but we will not stop reminding everyone to wear masks, observe physical distancing, sanitize. This is DOH’s call to everybody, whether you be in the private or public sector,” she said.
President Duterte
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte thanked members of his Cabinet for their “prompt response” in assisting locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and sending them back to their respective hometowns.
“I’d like to thank everybody sa itong ating gobyerno (in our government) — that’s really the Cabinet members working for the prompt response that you undertook to alleviate the plight of the stranded Filipinos. And nakakaawa talaga (They are really pitiful) and it took you just about two days to solve the problem,” Duterte said in a televised meeting with some Cabinet members aired early Wednesday.
He specifically expressed gratitude to Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade for his “fast action” in providing modes of transport for LSIs. (PNA)
