DEATHS surged toward the grim mark of 20,000 as 135 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while 6,100 new cases were reported by the Department of Health yesterday, a marked increase from the 4,593 average the past two days.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the new cases do not include figures from three laboratories that failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last May 18.
There were 4,487 new cases reported last Tuesday and 4,700 last Wednesday.
The death toll rose to 19,641, second highest in Southeast Asia and just 359 short of the dreaded milestone of 20,000, for a case fatality rate of 1.69.
Total infections in the country rose to 1,165,155 while active cases jumped to 51,912 from 49,951 last Wednesday, with 93.1 percent of them are mild cases, 2.1 percent asymptomatic cases, 2 percent severe cases, 1.5 percent critical cases, and 1.3 percent moderate cases. Active cases account for 4.5 percent of COVID cases in the country.
The total number of survivors climbed to 1,093,602 after 4,071 more recovered.
The number of overseas Filipinos who recovered from the deadly virus continued to increase with four new recoveries and just one new case, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The number of Filipinos abroad who survived the virus rose to 11,396, while 18,634 have contracted the virus.
The DFA said it did not receive any report of fatality among overseas Filipinos from its 94 embassies and consulates.
The current death toll stands at 1,163 with 760 in the Middle East and African regions, 243 in the Americas, 130 in Europe and 31 in the Asia Pacific region. — With Ashzel Hachero
