AFTER four straight days of over 10,000 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, new infections in the country dipped to 9,628 yesterday but the Department of Health said this did not include data from four laboratories, while 88 more succumbed to the deadly virus.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the total number of infections rose to 945,745 but the number could have been higher had four laboratories submitted their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System last Sunday, April 18.
The death toll climbed to 16,048 for a case fatality rate of 1.70.
New COVID cases have not gone below 10,000 the past four days, with the DOH reporting 11,429 new cases last Thursday, 10,726 cases last Friday, 11,101 cases last Saturday, and 10,098 cases last Sunday.
There were 9,266 more recoveries, meaning the number of survivors has risen to 788,322.
But active cases remained high at 141,375, with 96.9 percent mild cases, 1.5 percent asymptomatic cases, 0.7 percent severe cases, 0.5 percent critical cases, and 0.43 percent moderate cases.
For the second straight day, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported no new COVID cases or fatalities among overseas Filipinos.
The current COVID cases among overseas Filipinos stand at 18,141, and deaths at 1,115.
The DFA reported seven new recoveries, bringing to 11,149 the number of overseas Filipinos who have survived the deadly virus.
The DFA also said that 399,919 overseas Filipinos have been brought home since the government started its repatriation program in February last year amid the pandemic.
They include 294, 516 land-based workers and 105,403 sea-based workers.
Among those repatriated were those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, undocumented workers, victims of trafficking and those needing special medical care.
Meanwhile, former President Joseph Estrada has been brought to a regular hospital room, according to his son, former senator Jinggoy Estrada.
In a television interview, Jinggoy said his father’s vital signs as well as oxygen flow and blood pressure are back to normal.
“He is going to be transferred to a regular room today. His vital signs and oxygen flow are already normal,” he said.
Estrada turns 84 today and Jinggoy said he would visit him to bring a birthday cake.
Jinggoy said his father’s doctors refused to prescribe Ivermectin.
“I have consulted the doctors of my father about Ivermectin but the doctors said no. I will not give that because it’s only for animals. I really have to follow the doctor’s advice,” he said.
The Food and Drug Administration had granted compassionate use permit to several hospitals that want to prescribe Ivermectin on COVID-19 patients.
The younger Estrada said his father has been given a cocktail of drugs, including Leronlimab and Remdesivir to help him fight the virus.
Estrada was brought to the hospital on March 28 after complaining of body weakness. Subsequent test showed him positive for the deadly 19 virus. — With Ashzel Hachero
