MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines continued to record more coronavirus cases, with 740 more people confirmed to have the coronavirus disease as of Wednesday, June 10. 

The new cases bring to 23,732 the total number of confirmed cases.  The Department of Health reported that 10 more deaths due to COVID-19, raising the death toll to 1,027.

Another 159 patients recovered from the coronavirus disease, bringing total recoveries to 4,895. 

Of the reported new cases, 452 are “fresh” cases where results were validated and given to patients in the last 3 days. Meanwhile, 288 others are “late” cases, where results were given to patients 4 days or more ago but only validated recently. 

The Philippines continues to have more coronvirus cases more than week after Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Mandaue City transitioned to general community quarantine (GCQ), where quarantine restrictions were relaxed. These areas, where coronavirus cases were concentrated, were among locations last to see quarantine restriction eased on June 1 from a modified enhanced community quarantine. 

Experts from the University of the Philippines earlier warned that coronavirus cases in the capital region could reach 24,000, with the death toll climbing to 1,700, by mid-June if quarantine restrictions were relaxed too early. 

The Department of Health, however, said the increase in cases was mainly due to the quicker validation of more cases that were days or weeks old.  

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte is once again expected to decide on the next steps to take as general community quarantine restrictions were scheduled to end in Metro Manila and other areas until June 15.  

Aside from Metro Manila, the following areas are under GCQ:

• Cagayan Valley
• Central Luzon
• Calabarzon
• Pangasinan
• Albay
• Central Visayas
• Cebu City
• Mandaue City
• Davao City
• Zamboanga City 

Apart from these areas, most of the Philippines is currently under a modified GCQ. – Rappler.com