PH logs 3,651 new COVID cases, 16.5pct positivity rate

MANILA, February 10 ------ The Philippines' health department on Wednesday announced 3,651 fresh COVID-19 cases, the second straight day the tally fell below 5,000. The positivity rate was at 16.5 percent, based on test results of samples from 29,970 people on Feb. 7, Monday, according to the latest Department of Health bulletin. Of the newly reported cases, 3,474 or 95 percent occurred within the recent 14 days. Western Visayas (523 cases), Metro Manila (484 cases) and Calabarzon (414 cases) were the top regions with cases in the recent two weeks.

The number of fresh cases has remained below 10,000 for nine straight days, according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group. The Philippines has so far tallied a total of 3,623,176 cases, of which 96,326 or 2.7 percent remain active. This is the lowest number of active cases since Jan. 7, when 77,369 were reported, the ABS-CBN IRG said. The active infections are broken down as follows: 315 critical, 1,447 severe, 3,029 moderate, 87,385 mild, and 4,150 asymptomatic.

COVID-related deaths increased by 69 to 54,690. Of the newly reported deaths, 25 occurred this month, 36 last month, five in October, and one each in September, May, and March, the DOH said. This is the third straight day that the tally remained below 100, after 83 and 12 deaths were reported on Monday and Sunday, the ABS-CBN IRG said. There were 12,834 more recoveries, raising the total number of recuperations to 3,472,160. This is the lowest figure since Feb. 4 when 10,474 additional recoveries were announced, the research group added.

The DOH said 105 duplicates, including 86 recoveries, were removed from the total case count, while 49 cases previously tagged as recuperations were reclassified as deaths after final validation. Three cases, including one recovery, were found to have tested negative and have been removed from the total case count, it added. Three laboratories, which contribute on average 0.8 percent of samples tested and 0.9 percent of positive cases, were unable to submit their data, the DOH said. The intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization rate in Metro Manila and nationwide was at 32 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com