NEW coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases dipped to 866 yesterday from 1,067 last Tuesday while 53 more succumbed to the deadly virus, according to the Department of Health.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said the total number of cases in the country climbed to 3,663,920 while the death toll rose to 56,504 for a case fatality rate of 1.54 percent.
The current positivity rate in the Philippines stood at 4.7 percent among the 23,738 tested samples on February 28.
Active cases were down to 50,827 from 52,179 last Tuesday, with over 45,000 mild cases and more than 2,700 moderate cases.
The health department also reported 1,622 additional recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 3,556,589. The DOH said the recovery rate stood at 97.1 percent.
Meanwhile, no passenger of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 who volunteered to take antigen tests last month tested positive, according to MRT-3 Director for Operation Michael Capati said on Wednesday.
Capati said 488 passengers agreed to take antigen tests from February 1 to 28.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the free random antigen testing for passengers will remain in place during the implementation of Alert Level 1 status in Metro Manila.
Tugade said passengers can volunteer to take antigen tests for free at North Avenue, Cubao, and Shaw Boulevard stations, Mondays to Fridays, from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“Volunteer passengers who will take antigen test and test negative will be given a free ride by the MRT-3,” Tugade said. — With Noel Talacay
