MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — The Department of Health on Monday reported 2,099 additional COVID-19 cases in the country, including a record-high 1,258 "fresh cases" in a single day, bringing the cumulative total to 46,333.
The 2,099 additional cases reported on Monday is the second highest in a day since the COVID-19 outbreak reached the Philippines in January. The highest number of additional cases — at 2,434 — was reported on Sunday.
Of Monday’s additional cases, 841 were “late cases”, or those whose test results were released four days ago or earlier. "Fresh cases" are those whose results were released within the last 3 days.
Of the fresh cases, 601 are from the National Capital Region, 280 are from Region 7 (Central Visayas), 48 are Filipino repatriates, and 329 were tagged as “Others.” Others may refer to cases from other regions or those without location data.
Of the late cases, 397 are from NCR, 186 from Central Visayas, 212 are tagged as Others, and 46 are Filipino repatriates.
“Nakakakita po tayo ng pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kaso nitong nakaraang araw,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire acknowledged during a televised briefing.
(We have seen a rise in cases in the past days.)
She said the new cases are mostly from Region 4-A, Region 7, NCR, and other regions. A graph that showed an increase in cases for the NCR was presented.
“Cases in Visayas region are seen to be slowly decreasing, but we must continue to monitor the area if the decrease will be sustained,” she said.
Vergeire noted the clustering of cases in Cebu and the NCR, saying, “There were also reported clustering in workplaces such as the MRT.”
Media reports said there are more than 180 cases among MRT personnel, although DOH data only counted 127.
Vergeire said a private company had 39 cases in the last two weeks.
Meanwhile, the DOH reported 243 new recovered patients, bringing the total recoveries to 12,185.
Six new COVID-related deaths were also recorded, raising the death toll to 1,303.
According to the DOH, 5 of the 6 new fatalities occurred in June.
It also disclosed that 20 cases were removed from the total count because these were considered duplicates of already logged cases.
The DOH has attributed the increase in cases to the easing of community quarantines in various parts of the country, including Metro Manila, which shifted to a more relaxed general community quarantine since June 1.
In an advisory sent to media after the briefing, the DOH noted “a significant decline” in cases for the following cities: Marikina decreased by 68%, Muntinlupa decreased by 10%, Makati decreased by 4%. However, it is also monitoring Quezon City “which has shown an increase by 34%.”
Despite the increase in total cases, Vergeire said the case doubling time of the country was still relatively good at 7.95 days. This is the amount of time before the number of COVID-19 cases double. Cebu City also has a case doubling time of 7.95 while NCR is at 8.39.
At the same time, Vergeire said the increase in cases in the last week is also partly because of the “ongoing verification process” of the DOH’s accredited laboratories. Addressing delays in validation and testing have in the past caused an increase in reported cases.
Vergeire said Filipinos can help curb the spread of the disease by observing proper hygiene and physical distancing.
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