MANILA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua): The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 209,544 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,999 new daily cases on Friday.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries surged to 134,474 after it reported 510 more patients who have survived the disease.
The death toll also climbed to 3,325 after 91 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH added.
Metro Manila topped the five regions or provinces with the highest number of daily confirmed cases reported on Friday at 2,097, followed by Laguna province, south of Manila, 178; Cavite province, south of Manila, 138; Batangas province, south of Manila, 132; and Cebu province in the central Philippines, 125.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that 6,735 healthcare workers, mostly nurses, and doctors, have contracted the virus, adding that 40 have succumbed to the disease.
The DOH has tested over 2.27 million people so far.
"We are emphasising more on isolation, whether a patient gets tested or not, as long as we isolate those identified as close contact we can ensure that we can contain the transmission," she added.
Experts from the University of the Philippines have projected the Covid-19 cases could reach 375,000 by the end of September.
In another development, dpa reported the Philippines said on Wednesday that it will not stop air patrols over the disputed South China Sea despite Beijing’s calls for it to halt such "illegal provocations."
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said China was "free to say" what it wants over the patrols, but it will not affect Manila’s actions.
"We’re going to continue our patrol because it’s ours," he said in an interview with television cable news channel ANC.
"They can call it illegal provocations, you can’t change their minds," he added.
"They already lost the arbitral award, they wouldn’t accept it... It’s a free world."
Locsin was referring to a 2016 decision by an international tribunal, which ruled that Beijing has no legal or historic basis to its claim to the entire South China Sea.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries surged to 134,474 after it reported 510 more patients who have survived the disease.
The death toll also climbed to 3,325 after 91 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH added.
Metro Manila topped the five regions or provinces with the highest number of daily confirmed cases reported on Friday at 2,097, followed by Laguna province, south of Manila, 178; Cavite province, south of Manila, 138; Batangas province, south of Manila, 132; and Cebu province in the central Philippines, 125.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that 6,735 healthcare workers, mostly nurses, and doctors, have contracted the virus, adding that 40 have succumbed to the disease.
The DOH has tested over 2.27 million people so far.
"We are emphasising more on isolation, whether a patient gets tested or not, as long as we isolate those identified as close contact we can ensure that we can contain the transmission," she added.
Experts from the University of the Philippines have projected the Covid-19 cases could reach 375,000 by the end of September.
In another development, dpa reported the Philippines said on Wednesday that it will not stop air patrols over the disputed South China Sea despite Beijing’s calls for it to halt such "illegal provocations."
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said China was "free to say" what it wants over the patrols, but it will not affect Manila’s actions.
"We’re going to continue our patrol because it’s ours," he said in an interview with television cable news channel ANC.
"They can call it illegal provocations, you can’t change their minds," he added.
"They already lost the arbitral award, they wouldn’t accept it... It’s a free world."
Locsin was referring to a 2016 decision by an international tribunal, which ruled that Beijing has no legal or historic basis to its claim to the entire South China Sea.
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