The Philippines continues to keep new COVID-19 cases below 10,000, with 9,661 new COVID-19 cases logged on Saturday, April 24. This, however, still brings the country’s total COVID-19 caseload to almost a million. 

Of the total 989,380 cases, 9% or 89,485 are active or currently sick. This is the lowest number of active cases since March 23, when the Philippines recorded 86,200 active cases.

This is the 6th successive day infections have remained under 10,000.

The Department of Health (DOH) also reported 145 new deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 16,674. 

Recoveries have increased by 22,877, raising the total to 883,221.

The DOH also reported a positivity rate of 16.3% out of 38,640 tests in its bulletin. These positive cases are added to the tally of confirmed cases only after further validation. This process helps ensure that cases would not be recorded in duplicates, and that all test results had been submitted, explained the department.

On Friday, the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said health authorities recorded 24 fatalities after COVID-19 vaccinations, but most of those who died had preexisting illnesses.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said that of the 24 deaths recorded after COVID-19 vaccinations in the country, “19 were found to be coincidental” as they had preexisting illnesses. – Rappler.com