OVER 11,000 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were reported by the Department of Health yesterday as total infections in the country breached the grim milestone of 900,000 while 148 more patients succumbed to the deadly virus.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the number of infections has risen to 904,285 counting the 11,429 new cases while the death toll climbed to 15,594 for a case fatality rate of 1.72 percent.
The DOH said the new cases do not include data from seven laboratories that failed to submit their data.
Last Tuesday, the number of new cases dipped to 8,571 and 8,122 last Wednesday from a high of 12,000-plus last week but the DOH said it was just an “artificial decrease” because 12 laboratories failed to submit their data on time.
The number of survivors rose to 705,164 counting the 856 recoveries reported yesterday.
The DOH said this means that 78 percent of COVID patients have recovered.
There were 183,527 active, of which 96 percent are mild cases, 2.8 percent asymptomatic cases, 0.5 percent severe cases, 0.4 percent critical cases, and 0.30 percent moderate cases.
Three more overseas Filipinos have tested positive for the deadly virus, bringing to 18,008 the number of Filipinos in 91 countries and territories who have contracted the virus.
The DFA said it received no new report of fatalities or recoveries. The current death toll stands at 1,113, while 11,042 have recovered.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Bureau of Corrections are down to 14 but more than a hundred inmates and personnel, including trainees, have tested positive on antigen tests.
Data provided by BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag showed that 776 of personnel and persons deprived of liberty contracted have the virus since last year. Of these, 730 have recovered while 32 died.
Last year, several high-profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison succumbed to the virus, among them convicted Pasig shabu tiange operator Amin Imam Boratong and Jaybee Sebastian, who testified against the alleged drug link of detained opposition Sen. Leila de Lima.
Of the 14 active cases, Chaclag said two — a BuCor employee and a PDL — have been hospitalized while the rest are on self-quarantine.
“The 12 are all BuCor personnel who are on self quarantine since last week and on the way to recovery,” Chaclag said.
Chaclag said more than a hundred BuCor trainees and over a hundred PDLs also tested positive on rapid antigen test kits but they were not included in the tally of positive cases.
A separate data provided by DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar showed that as of April 14, 175 PDLs, 32 BuCor personnel and 161 trainees have tested positive using the rapid antigen testing kits.
Inmates are not included in the priority groups for COVID vaccination but Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said he would push for their inclusion due to greater risk posed by overcrowding in the BuCor’s jail facilities. — With Ashzel Hachero
