The Philippines on Saturday, August 28, recorded its highest-ever daily tally of COVID-19 cases – 19,441, pushing the country’s total confirmed cases past the 1.9-million mark.

With the latest numbers, the Philippines’ total caseload is now at 1,935,700.

The Department of Health (DOH) also reported 167 new deaths, raising the death toll to 33,008.

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Nearby provinces Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna are also under MECQ until September 7

Check the complete list of new quarantine classifications in the country from September 1 to 7 here.

The Department of Health said on Friday, August 27, that a feasibility study on the local production of COVID-19 vaccines may be completed by November 2021.

“If the results of the study would be completed by then, we will start other things needed for the local production so we can set it up by next year,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Filipino.

The Office of Civil Defense says Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms.

Jalad was added to the 116 OCD employees who were announced as COVID-positive on Thursday night, August 26. According to Office of Civil Defense spokesperson Mark Timbal, the NDRRMC chief and all of their staff have been fully vaccinated. 

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