THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported 3,314 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, indicating there is no slowdown in the transmission of cases going into the last day of the modified general community quarantine in Metro Manila and four nearby areas.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said majority of the new cases came from the National Capital Region with 1,918, followed by Laguna (274), Cavite (219), Rizal (118), and Bulacan (105).
Overall, the country now has 164,474 COVID-19 cases, with 18 new deaths also reported, raising the number of fatalities to 2,681.
Majority of the new deaths were recorded in Calabarzon with 5. Other deaths were reported from Central Visayas (4), NCR (4), Central Luzon (3), Northern Mindanao (1), and BARMM (1).
On the positive side, there were 237 new recoveries, meaning the number of survivors has risen to 112,759.
Globally, as of August 16, there were 21,260,760 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 761,018 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The DOH also reported a surge in clustering of cases with a total of 1,245 clusters in the country as of August 16. Nationwide, majority of the clustering are in the communities with 1,054 (84.7%); followed by health facilities with 68 (5.5%); jail/prison with 30 (2.4%); and other settings with 93 (7.5%).
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said reports of COVID-19 mutating are inconclusive, adding the DOH will look into more evidence.
“It is not yet conclusive because the study of the Philippine Genome Center was just in the Quezon City area. We need to expand it first so we can better see,” said Vergeire. “We still need a lot of evidence for us to say that the virus has mutated, that it is here and is spreading in the country.”
She said all they know is that there has long been two strains of COVID-19 in the country.
“All we know is we have D614 and G614 strains in the country,” she said.
Meanwhile, 12 more overseas Filipinos were added to the growing list of those infected with COVID-19 while another also succumbed to the virus, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The 12 new cases were recorded in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.
The DFA said the number of overseas Filipinos with COVID-19 rose to 9,908 in 72 countries while the number of fatalities now stands 726. Of the 9 908, the DFA sad 5,844 have recovered.
The DFA said the number of Filipinos in the Middle East/African regions with the virus has reached 6,902, with 445 deaths. Yesterday’s lone fatality was also reported from the Middle East.
At the House, the leadership yesterday recorded its 45th COVID case, a female employee from the Journal Service, who has been working from home since March 23.
“She went briefly to her office on August 6. During the night, she started experiencing symptoms,” said Secretary General Joel Montales.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has taken a “short break” from work after testing positive anew for COVID-19 on Saturday night, DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said. — With Ashzel Hachero, Wendell Vigilia and Victor Reyes
