OVER 2,000 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were reported yesterday by the Department of Health (DOH), bringing the total cases in the country to over 80,000 with no signs of slowing down.
The latest bulletin showed 2,110 new cases, with majority coming from the National Capital Region with 1,345, followed by Cebu (304), Laguna (109), Negros Occidental (66), and Rizal (40).
Counting the 2,103 cases last Friday and 2,019 on Saturday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 80,448.
Among confirmed cases, the DOH reported 39 new deaths, raising the total number of fatalities to 1,932. The new deaths were from NCR (17 or 44%), Central Visayas (14 or 36%), Calabarzon (2 or 5%), Zamboanga Peninsula (2 or 5%), Davao Region (2 or 5%), Ilocos Region (1 or 3%) and Caraga (1 or 3%).
The DOH noted that 35 (90%) deaths happened in July, 2 (5%) in June, and 2 (5%) in April.
The DOH reported 382 new recoveries, meaning the number of COVID-19 survivors has reached 26,110.
Globally, as of July 25, there were 15,581,009 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 635,173 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 36 more overseas Filipinos have been infected with the deadly virus but there was no new death reported yesterday. The additional cases were recorded in Europe and the Asia Pacific region.
In all, 9,275 Filipinos in 70 countries have been infected, with 653 deaths and 5,410 recoveries.
Among the regions, the Middle East/Africa retained the ranking with the highest number of cases and deaths at 6,632 and 381, respectively, though most of these came from the Middle East.
Europe reported 1,090 cases and 95 deaths while the Americas registered 705 cases and 171 deaths. The Asia-Pacific region reported 847 cases and six deaths.
Meanwhile, former Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes has been afflicted with COVID-19 and is currently intubated.
In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Brillantes’ daughter, Zeena, asked the public to pray for his 80-year old father who has been fighting the deadly virus.
“Someone recently told me that prayers are better when they are specific. Please include our dad, Sixto Brillantes Jr., in your prayers. Please,” Zeena said.
This development was confirmed by Brillantes’ former chief of staff at the commission, Atty. Emil Marañon.
“My old boss, mentor, and second father, Sixto Brillantes Jr., was diagnosed with COVID-19 and he badly needs our prayer,” Marañon said in his Twitter account.
Brillantes was appointed to head the Comelec by President Benigno Aquino III from January 2011 to February 2015.
Meanwhile, a total 213 personnel of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing to 2,495 the personnel of the two frontline units who have been infected with the deadly virus.
The PNP said 136 of its men recently contracted the virus, 70 of them from the PNP Regional Training Center-Central Visayas and 30 from the National Capital Region Police Office.
“The positive cases in our ranks have reached 1,992 and 706 have fully recovered,” said PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, adding one policeman assigned at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame recently died, bringing the total number of policemen who died of the virus to 10.
As of Saturday, the PNP listed 725 personnel as “probable” of having been infected with the virus while 2,449 others are suspects.
The PCG reported 77 new COVID-19 cases in its ranks, bringing to 503 the total number of PCG men infected with the virus as of yesterday. The 77 new cases also brought to 248 the number of active cases in the agency.
It also reported 96 new recoveries, bringing the total of PCG personnel who have so far recovered to 255. The PCG has reported no death so far.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged the Bureau of Quarantine to coordinate with the QC government in the handling of quarantine cases in the city.
Belomonte issued the call after discovering that 192 COVID-19 patients, all non-QC residents, are being quarantined at three QC hotels without the knowledge of the local government.
She said the 192 were found to be isolated at MC Hotel (75 patients), Fox Hotel (57 patients) and Astrotel (60) during inspections by the Business Permits and Licensing Department, City Health Department, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Department of Public Order and Safety, and QC Tourism Department.
Belomonte said the quarantine of these patients should have been coordinated with the QC government to ensure that there are security and health workers supervising the quarantine and there is proper disposal of wastes.
Citing information from a nurse of the Department of Health, QC Tourism Department action officer Tetta Tirona said the patients quarantined at the three QC hotels are residents of Caloocan City.
As of Saturday, Quezon City has 5,878 cases, with 289 deaths. — With Ashzel Hachero, Raymond Africa and Victor Reyes
