Philippines records new all-time high in Covid-19 cases, Southeast Asia's highest jump for second day

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Manila - President Duterte extends coronavirus restrictions in Manila until mid-August.

By Reuters

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Published: Fri 31 Jul 2020, 7:38 AM

Last updated: Fri 31 Jul 2020, 3:47 PM

The Philippines’ Department of Health (DoH) on Friday confirmed 4,063 Covid-19 infections, reporting the highest daily case increase in Southeast Asia for a second straight day.
In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed infections have risen to 93,354, while deaths increased by 40 to 2,023.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday extended coronavirus restrictions in Manila until mid-August and promised ‘free vaccines’ to combat a surge in infections that has overwhelmed healthcare workers and facilities.
The capital region and provinces south of it were placed under general community quarantine, limiting movement of elderly and children, and the capacity of business establishments.
“My plea is to endure some more. Many have been infected,” Duterte said in a televised address.
Duterte said that once vaccines are available, the government will be prioritising the poor, and then the middle class, police and military personnel.
The Philippines will be given precedence by China in vaccine distribution, he said.
A day after 38,075 ‘recoveries’ in one day
The new all-time-high increase in Covid-19 cases in the Philippines comes a day after the DoH were lambasted by Filipino Netizens over its ‘mass recovery’ report — where it logged a whopping 38,075 recoveries in a single day.  

This huge number, the DoH explained, was a result of its data adjustments that now classify ‘mild and asymptomatic cases’ as ‘recovered’.
In its bulletin, it noted that 37,166 of the 38,075 recoveries reported on Thursday included “cases with mild disease or asymptomatic whose date of onset of illness or specimen collection was more than 14 days ago”.


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