The positivity rate or percentage of tested people with positive results rose from 23.4% based on tests from September 25 to 24.1% based on 47,430 tests reported on September 26.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 28) — The country’s COVID-19 case tally rose to 2,522,965 with 13,846 new infections on Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) announced.
“The relatively low cases today is due to lower laboratory output last Sunday, September 26,” the DOH added.
Its case bulletin listed 132,139 active cases or currently ill patients, which is 5.2% of the total number of infections.
At least 76.6% of active cases have mild symptoms, 16.4% are asymptomatic, 3.99% are in moderate condition, 2.1% have severe symptoms, while 0.9% are in critical condition.
The death toll increased to 37,686 – which is 1.51% of the case count – after 91 more people lost their lives. Meanwhile, the recovery tally increased by 39,980 and is now at 2,353,140 or 93.3% of the COVID-19 total.
The DOH said it reclassified 37 survivors into fatalities after validation and deleted 58 duplicate cases, including 40 recoveries and one death.
Seven laboratories that failed to submit their reports on time were excluded from the report, the DOH said. These laboratories contributed an average of 1.3% of tested samples and 1.7% of positive individuals in the last 14 days.
The rate needs to drop to below 3% to show there is adequate testing, according to US nonprofit Covid Act Now.
For the World Health Organization, the positivity rate should be below 5% to indicate that the infection has been controlled.
CHED said it is also “aggressively pushing” for the vaccination of all faculty, staff, and students in its institutions.
Of the close to 2,000 universities and colleges, about almost half have already opened the school year, CHED added. Others are planning to start classes in October or November.
Earlier, the President allowed the resumption of face-to-face classes for medical schools and allied health programs.
