COVID-19

PH logs 2,288 COVID-19 cases, highest in over 3 months

Bonz Magsambol

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PH logs 2,288 COVID-19 cases, highest in over 3 months

File photo of commuters at the Caloocan Carousel bus station.

Photo by Darren Langit/Rappler

The Philippines now has 563,453 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 12,094 deaths and 522,874 recoveries

The Philippines now has 563,453 confirmed cases of COVID-19 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,288 new infections on Monday, February 22.

The number of cases on Monday is the highest since November 8, when the country logged 2,442 cases.

Meanwhile, coronavirus deaths continue to rise with 6 new deaths, raising the toll to 12,094. Recoveries grew by 33 to 522,874.

Of the total cases, 28,488 are active.

The Octa Research Group in its report published on Sunday, February 21, said it saw an upward trend in new COVID-19 cases in virus epicenter Metro Manila.

The upward trend in COVID-19 cases happened at a time when the DOH on Sunday reported 18 new cases of the more infectious United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 variant in the country, bringing total cases in the country to 62.

On February 18, the DOH Central Visayas said that the Philippine Genome detected “mutation of concern” from samples in Cebu City identified as E484K and N501Y. 

The E484K mutation is present in the South African variant of SARS-CoV-2.

Meanwhile, the N501Y mutation is also found both in the UK and South African variants, which experts say has higher transmissibility.

Metro Manila mayors also agreed to recommend to the national government that the capital region be placed under the least strict modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) starting March.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to decide on the quarantine measures of the country on Monday night.

Though it could not give the exact date of the arrival of the vaccines in the country, the government said that it would start its vaccination program this February.

The Philippine Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine, after a review of late-stage trial data reaffirmed the shot was safe and effective.

Sinovac’s lower efficacy of 50.4% from trials in Brazil though led experts not to recommend its use in the priority sector. The Brazil trials involved health workers exposed to COVID-19. – Rappler.com

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Bonz Magsambol

Bonz Magsambol covers the Philippine Senate for Rappler.