THE Department of Health on Wedneday reported 3,462 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, a day after a new record-high was set.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said 2,434 of the new cases came from the National Capital Region while Laguna had 105, Rizal (101), Cavite (73), and Cebu (62).
Overall, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 115,980, counting the 6,352 record high cases reported last Tuesday when Metro Manila and four other areas were placed under modified enhanced community quarantine.
Nine more deaths were reported, raising the number of fatalities to 2,123. The new deaths were from NCR (4 or 44%), Central Visayas (4 or 44%) and Davao Region (1 or 11%). Of the 9 deaths, 8 (89%) happened in July, and 1 (11%) in June.
On the positive side, 222 new recoveries were recorded, meaning the total number of survivors has risen to 66,270.
Globally, as of August 4, there were 18,142,718 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 691,013 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The number of overseas Filipinos infected with the deadly virus continued to increase with 20 more being added to the list, the Department of Foreign Affairs said, bringing to 9,627 the number of Filipinos in 71 countries who have been infected.
The DFA also reported two new deaths, bringing the death toll to 695, while 5,730 have recovered. It said 3,202 overseas Filipinos are still undergoing treatment.
The Middle East/African regions outranked the other regions in terms of Filipinos infected with the virus and fatalities at 6,795 and 419, respectively, followed by Europe with 1,129 cases, the Asia-Pacific region with 941 and the Americas with 762.
But the Americas came a distant second in terms of deaths with 175 followed by Europe with 95 and 6 in the Asia-Pacific region.
The DFA also said a Filipino has died due to COVID-19 in Libya, the first fatality in the fledgling Filipino community in the strife-torn North African country.
“Our Philippine Embassy in Libya has reported the first Filipino fatality due to COVID-19.We are working to repatriate the remains the soonest amidst the ongoing conflict and border and travel restrictions in Libya,” DFA Undersecretary Brigido Dulay Jr. said.
As of August 4, Libya has reported a total of 4,063 COVID cases, of which 3,119 are active cases. Libya has also recorded 93 deaths and 625 recoveries from the virus.
There are about 1,000 Filipinos in Libya, mostly in the capital city of Tripoli and nearby areas.
New Zealand on Wednesday reported two new COVID-19 cases, both of them travelers from the Philippines. The New Zealand Health Ministry said the two are already in isolation facilities.
“The first case we are reporting today is a man in his 20s who arrived in New Zealand on July 23 from the Philippines via Hong Kong. He has been in managed isolation at the Rydges in Rotorua and tested negative for COVID-19 around day three of his stay,” the health ministry said in a statement.
It added the man was later transferred to a quarantine facility in Auckland after testing positive on day 12 of his stay in managed isolation.
The second case is a woman in her 40s who arrived in New Zealand on August 1 from the Philippines also via Hong Kong.
“She has been in managed isolation at the Grand Millennium in Auckland, and tested positive around day three of her stay,” the ministry said, adding the two cases brought to 1,219 the total number of COVID-19 cases in New Zealand since the outbreak of the virus.
The total number of active COVID cases in managed isolation facilities, according to the ministry, is now at 24.
“There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19,” the ministry said, adding it has been 96 days since the last case of the virus was acquired locally from an unknown source.
The Presidential Communications Operations Office reported 84 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections in its office and the different attached agencies under it.
As of 4 p.m. of August 5, PCOO said there were 74 active cases, seven recoveries and three deaths due to the deadly virus.
The National Printing Office (NPO) had the most number of confirmed and active cases with 32, followed by the PCOO main office with 30 active cases and one death; state network PTV-4 with five active cases, one recovered and one death; Philippine Information Agency (PIA) recorded one active and four recovered cases; APO Printing (APO) with three active cases, one recovered and one death; Radio Television Malacanang (RTVM) with three active cases; and the Bureau of Broadcast Services with one recovered patient.
The PCOO offices, mostly located at the New Executive Building, have been on indefinite lockdown while PTV4 had been on limited operations until August 9. PIA had shut down its central office until August 15 while the RTVM main office, within the Malacanang complex had also closed down its office until August 11. — With Ashzel Hachero and Jocelyn Montemayor
