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| (Graphic from CNN Philippines, data from DOH) |
A record number of new
cases has brought the Philippines’ total number of coronavirus to 50,359,
sparking fears of a widening community transmission.
The Department of
Health reported 2,539 new cases on Jul 8, the biggest single-day jump since the
first coronavirus case was reported in the Philippines at the start of the
year.
According to the DOH,
1,992 of the new cases were detected only within the last three days, while 617
were reported late.
Metro Manila still topped all areas in the
number of infections, with 883 classified as fresh, and 183 as late cases. Central
Visayas came in second with 369 new and 74 fresh cases. The rest of the cases
came from all over the country.
The DOH also reported that 202 patients have
recovered from the disease, bringing the total number to 12,588. This accounts
for around 25% of the total confirmed cases.
But five more patients succumbed to Covid-19, raising
the death toll to 1,314.
The recent surge in cases came after community
quarantine measures were further loosened and more businesses were allowed to
reopen.
But the DOH also said the increase was due to its
increased testing capacity and the failure of people to adhere to minimum
health standards, like wearing face masks in public.
This has reportedly resulted in a
community-wide transmission, with the source of infection becoming more
difficult to track.
So far, a total of 797,585 people have been tested
in the country.
The Philippines has the second highest number
of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia, behind Indonesia which has reported over
66,000 cases.
Worldwide, 11.78 million have already been
infected, with more than 543,000 succumbing to the disease since it emerged in
Wuhan, China late last year.
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