Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 4) — An additional 262 Filipinos have contracted the coronavirus disease, as the country’s tally of cases climbs to 9,485, the Department of Health announced Monday.
The single-day number of recoveries is also at a new record high, with the DOH reporting 101 additional patients have won the fight against the disease. This brings the total number of recoveries to 1,315.
Meanwhile, 16 more patients died, raising the death toll to 623.
Of the new infections, 122 cases were recorded in the National Capital Region, 88 in Region 7, and 52 from other different regions nationwide.
Health officials have attributed the rise in cases to expanded coronavirus testing. In a report released Sunday, the DOH noted that the country had a testing capacity of 5,264 as of Saturday.
There are 22 licensed laboratories that can now perform the real time RT-PCR test for COVID-19, as the DOH scales up efforts to increase the country’s testing capacity.
The department reiterated the need for the public to adapt to the “new normal” setting, which includes the continued strict adherence to physical distancing, proper hygiene, and cough etiquette.
Worldwide, over 3.5 million people so far have been infected with the viral illness, with some 247,000 deaths and over 1.1 million recoveries.
