FOR the second straight day, less than 2,000 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were reported by the Department of Health but there were 60 more deaths, raising the number of fatalities to 6,747.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said that of the 1,509 new cases, 83 and 82 came from Rizal and Cavite, respectively, while Manila had 66, Baguio City 65, and Iloilo City 57.
In all, the number of infections in the country rose to 362,243.
Last Tuesday, the DOH reported 1,640 new infections.
Majority of the new deaths were recorded in Metro Manila with 23. CALABARZON and Western Visayas had 9 and 8 deaths, respectively.
There were 911 more recoveries, meaning the number of survivors has now reached a total of 311,506.
Globally, as of October 20, there were 40,251,950 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1,116,131 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Eight more overseas Filipinos have been infected with the deadly virus, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The number of Filipinos in 81 countries who have contracted the virus rose to 11,186 with 7, 244 having recovered, including 10 yesterday.
No new fatality was reported to the DFA. As of Tuesday, the DFA said 815 overseas Filipinos have succumbed to the virus.
The Middle East and Africa had 7,369 cases so far, followed by 1,786 in the Asia Pacific region, 1, 215 in Europe and 816 in the Americas.
Makati, meanwhile, has been tagged by the OCTA Research Team as the top “high risk” local government unit for COVID-19, followed by Baguio City, Mandaluyong, Lucena City, Pasig, Iloilo City, Pasay, Marikina, Ilagan City, and Batangas City.
“An LGU is classified as high-risk if it has a high number of cases per day, a high attack rate, and high hospital occupancy,” said the OCTA, an independent and interdisciplinary research group composed primarily of University of the Philippines faculty members and alumni, as well as contributors from the University of Santo Tomas and Providence College, USA.
OCTA said Makati has 59 cases per day, 10 percent attack rate, and 79 percent hospital occupancy, Baguio City with 39 cases per day, 11.1 percent attack rate, and 69 percent hospital occupancy, and Mandaluyong City with 34 cases per day, 8 percent attack rate, and 75 percent hospital occupancy.
OCTA warned of possible overwhelming of health system and pushed for an aggressive localized lockdown by the concerned LGUs.
Reacting to the OCTA report, Makati City has requested a copy of the research paper, with Atty. Don Camiña, City Legal Officer and spokesperson, saying: “We were surprised since DOH data shows we are low risk. “We have to check where they got their data to conclude such.”
Yesterday, Makati City recorded 64 new confirmed COVID cases, bringing the total to 7,638, with 284 deaths. — With Ashzel Hachero and Noel Talacay
