ONE hundred ten more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients died while 4,487 new cases were reported by the Department of Health yesterday, which did not include figures from eight laboratories that failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last May 16.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the total number of infections in the country rose to 1,154,388 while the death toll climbed to 19,372 for a case fatality rate of 1.68.
Active cases dipped further to 52,291 from 54,235 last Monday, of which 93.1 percent are mild cases, 2.2 percent asymptomatic cases, 2 percent severe cases, 1.5 percent critical cases, and 1.2 percent moderate cases.
There were 6,383 more recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 1,082,725.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 11 more overseas Filipinos tested positive for the deadly virus, raising to 18,629 the number of infected Filipinos in 94 countries and territories.
The DFA also reported two new fatalities, pushing the death toll among overseas Filipinos to 1,163, and one recovery that brought the number of overseas Filipinos who survived the virus to 11,375. There are still 6,091 active cases.
A deputy police chief of a Tarlac town died of COVID-19, bringing to 62 the number of police personnel who lost their battle against the deadly virus.
Reports reaching the office of PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said the 48-year-old officer tested positive on May 5 and was brought to a quarantine facility.
On May 10, he experienced difficulty breathing and was transferred to a hospital. Six days later, the officer was pronounced dead due to pneumonia.
The PNP also reported 128 new infections in its ranks, raising to 22,207 the total number of PNP personnel infected with virus, with 20,582 having recovered and 1,383 still active cases.
At the House, deputy speaker Henry Oaminal of Misamis Occidental tested positive for the virus.
“I regret to inform you that I have tested positive for COVID-19,” Oaminal said in a Facebook post, saying he took a swab test after experiencing body aches and fever.
Following protocols, the House leader said he will be on quarantine for 14 days “and at the same time our residence is on lockdown and marked accordingly.”
Oaminal could not say how he was infected, saying he adhered to health protocols like wearing a mask, a face shield and practiced social distancing.
“However, we will never know when and where the virus will strike. This is why we must continue to adopt a unified stance and exert continued efforts to follow safety protocols, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
Out of 578 Filipinos who have tested positive for the deadly virus in Singapore since last year, 543 have fully recovered while only 35 remain in hospitals for treatment or are asymptomatic but in isolation. No one died.
Ambassador Joseph Yap, during the “Laging Handa” public briefing, said Filipino patients received all-free treatment courtesy of the Singaporean government.
However, he disclosed the city state is imposing stricter protocols from May 16 to June 13, 2021 after Singapore health authorities were alarmed by the latest upsurge in the number of new cases.
“As of May 16, the total number of (COVID-19) cases here in Singapore was at 61,585. Of these 61,104 have fully recovered, 450 remains confined in hospitals, and they have 31 recorded fatalities,” Yap said, adding the source of concern is the rising number of local community cases.
Citing government figures, Yap said new COVID-19 variants from different countries have been detected in Singapore. These were the Brazilian, South African, UK and two Indian variants. — With Ashzel Hachero, Victor Reyes, Wendell Vigilia, and Peter Tabingo
