FROM 4,600 last Sunday, 4,084 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were reported yesterday by the Department of Health, along with 16 more deaths.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the total number of infections in the country rose to 2,855,819 while the death toll climbed to 51,586 for a case fatality rate of 1.81 percent.
The current positivity rate in the country stood at 20.7 percent among the 18,587 tested samples on January 1.
Active cases rose to 24,992 from 21,418 last Sunday, with over 19,200 mild cases and more than 3,000 moderate cases.
The DOH also reported 497 additional recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 2,779,241. The DOH said the recovery rate stood at 97.3 percent.
The number of overseas Filipinos infected with the deadly virus rose to 24,274 after 16 new cases were reported by Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Middle East and African regions had the highest number of infected overseas Filipinos with 13,151, followed by 6,416 in Asia and the Pacific, 3,651 in Europe and the Americas with 1,053.
But no new fatality was reported by the DFA. In all, 1,452 overseas Filipinos have succumbed to the virus, 929 of them in the Middle East and Africa, 262 in the Americas, 131 in Asia and the Pacific, and 130 in Europe.
The DFA also reported 16 new recoveries, bringing the number to 14,423.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has assured assistance to the family of the overseas Filipino worker who reportedly committed suicide while under quarantine in a hotel in Pasay City.
In a phone interview, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said they will provide help to the family of the OFW from Papua New Guinea who was found hanging in the hotel bathroom yesterday morning.
Before noon yesterday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported the OFW was found hanging in the bathroom of his hotel room. The PCG said the OFW arrived in the country on Sunday night and was undergoing mandatory quarantine.
To prevent a repeat of the incident, Cacdac said they are looking to further promote the availability of mental health assistance to repatriated OFWs. — With Ashzel Hachero and Christian Oineza
