Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 31) – The country recorded 6,684 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, the Department of Health’s latest bulletin showed.
Of the 1,230,301 total cases nationwide, 54,290 or 4.4% are active cases. The DOH said that 93.3% are experiencing mild symptoms, 2.2% are asymptomatic, 1.4% are critical, 1.8% are in severe condition, and 1.28% are experiencing moderate symptoms.
Meanwhile, the death toll climbed to 20,966 after 107 more patients succumbed to the viral disease. The number of COVID-19 survivors also increased to 1,155,045 with 6,098 new recoveries.
All laboratories were operational on May 29, but three laboratories were not able to submit their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System.
Based on the data in the last 14 days, the DOH said the three non-reporting laboratories contribute, on average, 0.4% samples tested and 1.0% of positive individuals.
The DOH added that 10 duplicates were removed from the nationwide tally, of which six are recoveries and one death.
It also said 57 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.
The daily positivity rate, or rate of individuals who tested positive, was at 13.7% based on 44,278 tests done as of May 29. The World Health Organization recommends a percentage of 5%, as high rates may mean high transmission and more undetected cases.
Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday that Metro Manila and the four provinces in NCR Plus cannot yet be considered in the “safe zone” due to a slower decline in COVID-19 cases in the past days.
She added that healthcare utilization rate in the capital region, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal is at moderate risk level.
The DOH is monitoring an increase in cases in some provinces in the Ilocos Region, Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Caraga, said Vergeire.
