Over 7,000 new COVID-19 cases in PH for 3rd straight day

The Philippines logged more than 7,000 new COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive day, pushing the country’s caseload to 1.22 million.

On Sunday, May 30, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 7,058 new infections, bringing the total COVID-19 cases in the country to 1,223,627.

Sunday’s new cases followed the 8,748 logged on Friday, May 28 – the highest in nearly a month – and the 7,443 announced on Saturday, May 29.

The DOH also reported 139 new deaths, raising the Philippines’ death toll due to COVID-19 to 20,860. It was the fifth straight day that reported deaths exceeded 100.

Meanwhile, 6,852 cases were tagged as recovered on Sunday. As a result, total recoveries from the virus stood at 1,149,010.

Of the total cases, 53,757 or 4.4% are active.

Four testing labs failed to submit their data in time for the DOH’s case bulletin on Sunday.

The DOH said 13 duplicates, including eight recoveries and one death, were removed from the total case count.

It also said 80 cases previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.

In the coming days, the government is expected to announce new quarantine classifications for the month of June. The “NCR Plus” bubble – composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite – is under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until Monday, May 31. 

Santiago City, Quirino, Ifugao, and Zamboanga City are under the more restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine also until Monday.

While there has been a decline in cases in Metro Manila in May compared to the surge in March and April, various places across the archipelago like Negros Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, and Bukidnon have reported surges in new infections. – Rappler.com