FOR the first time since last July, new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country dropped to the 4,000 mark but 211 more succumbed to the deadly virus, according to the Department of Health.
In its latest bulletin, the DOH said total infections rose to 2,731,735, counting the 4,496 new cases yesterday, but clarified the relatively low cases was due to the failure of seven laboratories to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS) last October 17.
The last time the country saw less than 5,000 cases was back on July 28, when 4,478 new cases were reported.
The positivity rate in the country stood at 12.4 percent out of the 35,766 tests conducted last October 17.
The death toll climbed to 40,972 for a case fatality rate of 1.50.
Active cases dipped to 63,637 from 68,832 last Monday, with 79 percent mild cases, 8.9 percent moderate cases, 5.2 percent asymptomatic cases, 4.8 percent severe cases, and 2 percent critical cases.
The DOH also reported 9,609 more recoveries, raising the number of survivors to 2,627,126.
The reproduction rate in the National Capital Region continued to decline and now stands at 0.55 as of October 19, according to the OCTA Research, the lowest reproduction number seen in the region for the last five months.
“On May 18, the reproduction number decreased to a then-lowest value of 0.56,” said OCTA fellow Guido David. “Hopefully, the reproduction number stays below 0.6 until year’s end.”
The reproduction rate in Metro Manila has been on a continued downward trend since it went under 1 last September 23.
Eighty-four more Filipinos abroad have been infected with COVID-19 while six others died due to the virus the previous week, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Overall, 23,468 overseas Filipinos have tested positive for the virus while the toll also climbed to 1,395.
The DFA also reported 68 new recoveries, bringing the number of overseas survivors to 13,731, with 8,342 still undergoing treatment. — With Ashzel Hachero
