Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) — The Department of Health reported 199 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease on Tuesday, as the country’s total rose to 9,684.
Most of the new infections were logged in the National Capital Region with 173 cases. One was confirmed in Region 7, while the other 25 were recorded in other areas across the country.
More have also won the fight against the viral illness, with the country recording 93 new recoveries and the total standing at 1,408. The Health department has announced the highest single-day number of recoveries the past two days, with 90 recovered patients on Sunday and additional 101 registered on Monday.
Meanwhile, 14 more people have succumbed to the disease, bringing the death toll to 637.
READ: Gov’t eyes 58 more laboratories to conduct COVID-19 tests
Health officials continue to remind the public to strictly adhere to the physical distancing protocol and exercise proper hygiene and cough etiquette, as the world transitions into a “new normal” setting.
Globally, nearly 3.6 million people have so far contracted the disease, with some 250,000 deaths and over 1.1 million recoveries.
The DOH added that a total of 41 provinces nationwide have recorded no new cases of the disease in the past two weeks. Of this number, 23 provinces have been COVID-free since the onset of the outbreak. There are 81 provinces in the country.
The 23 areas include Agusan del Sur, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Batanes, Biliran, Camarines Norte, Davao Occidental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Kalinga, Masbate, Mountain Province, Quirino, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
To date, there are a total of 23 licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories, as the country’s maximum daily testing capacity has reached over 8,000. The government is also targeting to accredit at least 58 more laboratories, in an attempt to raise the country’s daily testing capacity to 30,000 by the end of May.
