A DAY after a new single-day high in new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases was set, new infections dipped to 21,411 yesterday while the toll breached the 35K mark.
In its latest bulletin, the Department of Health said five laboratories failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last September 10.
Overall, the number of infections in the country rose to 2,227,367 while 168 new deaths were reported, raising the toll to 35,145, the second highest in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia, for a case fatality rate of 1.58.
Last Saturday, the DOH reported 26,303 new cases, surpassing the previous high of 22,820 set last Wednesday.
There were 181,951 active cases, with 86 percent mild cases, 9.5 percent asymptomatic cases, 2.5 percent moderate cases, 1.3 percent severe cases, and 0.6 percent critical cases.
The DOH also reported 25,049 more recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 2,010,271. This means that 90.3 percent of COVID patients have recovered.
A policeman from Calabarzon died of COVID-19, raising the number of police personnel who have succumbed to the deadly virus to 109, PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar reported yesterday.
Eleazar said the 37-year-old master sergeant died last Thursday due to pneumonia and acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19.
The policeman experienced mile symptoms of COVID-19 and promptly underwent RT-PCR test which showed he had contracted the disease. On September 30, he complained of difficulty in breathing and was brought to a hospital.
He died at around 3 a.m. last Thursday.
The PNP said the policeman received the first dose of a two-dose vaccine last August 6.
The PNP Health Service reported 176 new COVID-19 cases in the police force, bringing to 37,067 the total number of infections in the PNP as of yesterday, with 2,655 active cases. — With Victor Reyes
