Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) — A total of 11,876 people in the country have now contracted the coronavirus disease, with the Department of Health reporting 258 new cases on Thursday.
The DOH said that 188 or over 70 percent of the new infections were in Metro Manila.
Central Visayas, which has seen a spike in daily COVID-19 cases in recent days, recorded notably fewer, with only 16 new infections.
An additional 86 have recovered from the viral disease, bringing total recoveries to 2,337.
Eighteen more patients have died, raising the death toll to 790.
Infected healthcare workers
Duque acknowledged the inconsistencies, which have been pointed out by a team of experts from the University of the Philippines, but maintained that these mistakes were insignificant, as they comprise less than one percent of the total record.
From May 16 to 31, Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City will be placed under “modified” enhanced community quarantine. Under the MECQ, more industries would be allowed to partially reopen but public transportation would remain suspended.
Meanwhile, the government placed 37 provinces and 11 cities under general community quarantine, taking back its earlier announcement that low-risk areas would no longer be placed under quarantine.
READ: COVID-19 task force backtracks anew, places low-risk areas under GCQ
To date, over 4.3 million people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19. Nearly 300,000 of these cases resulted in death, while over 1.5 million patients recovered.
The Health department also confirmed that 68 more healthcare workers have survived the disease, for a total of 737 recoveries.
However, 40 more medical frontliners have contracted the virus, raising the total tally to 2,165. The death toll remains at 35.
Based on the department’s data, the top five medical professions with COVID-19 cases are nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, medical technologists, and radiologic technologists.
In its latest online media briefing, the DOH reiterated that the rate of infection among health workers continues to follow a downward trend since April 11.
Health officials have also said the country has seen improvement in the case doubling time, or the number of days it takes for infections to double in number.
On Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III added that the DOH is working to upgrade its data gathering system, after it drew flak due to dozens of “alarming errors” in its data on coronavirus patients.
Cases among Filipinos abroad
An additional 12 Filipinos overseas have been infected with COVID-19, while 17 more have already recovered, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported.
Coronavirus cases among overseas Filipinos are now at 2,322, while total recoveries are at 774.
No new deaths have been recorded, as the number of fatalities remains at 269.
Filipino COVID-19 cases have been reported in 46 countries or regions worldwide. Europe and the Middle East continue to log the highest number, with 687 and 680 cases, respectively. Some 534 have been recorded in the Americas, while 421 have been registered in the Asia Pacific.
