FOR the third straight day, new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country breached the 8,000 mark while 127 more succumbed to the deadly virus, according to the Department of Health.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said total infections in the country rose to 1,597,689, counting the 8,735 new cases yesterday, the highest in three months, while the toll climbed to 28,016 for a case fatality rate of 1.75.
Last Friday, the DOH reported 8,562 new cases and 8,147 last Saturday. Yesterday’s figure did not include data from two laboratories.
Active cases shot up to 63,646, with 94 percent mild cases, 2.1 percent severe cases, 1.4 percent moderate cases, 1.3 percent asymptomatic cases, and 1.2 percent critical cases.
The DOH also reported 5,930 more recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 1,506,027.
Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday said she had to go on quarantine after being exposed to a COVID patient last week but later tested negative for the deadly virus.
In her weekly radio program, she told anchor Ely Saludar that she was exposed to a COVID-positive patients “so I quarantined but I underwent an RT-PCR test and thankfully, I’m negative.”
The Vice President also went on quarantine last April after she was exposed to her bodyguard, who had tested positive for the virus.
Robredo urged the public to buy from small businesses, especially those that will be closed during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that will begin on Aug. 6.
She also called on those who can afford to donate to community pantries, as many poor families are again expected to bear the economic brunt of the lockdown since no financial assistance from the government can be expected. — With Wendell Vigilia
