The Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,233 new confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines, reiterating its appeal to the public to observe the minimum health standards.
The Philippines’s case tally jumped to 52,914 on Friday. The number of active cases is at 38,324.
The DOH said that 286 more patients have recovered, taking the total recoveries to 13,230.
The death toll is at 1,360 with 42 new fatalities. Of the latest reported deaths, 27 occurred this month, the DOH said.
“Kami po ay nananawagan sa inyong lahat na gawin lagi ang ating minimum health standards, katulad ng pagsusuot ng mask, madalas na paghuhugas ng kamay, physical distancing, at iba pa ,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
Vergeire also urged the public to stay at home if they do not have important business outdoors.
“Manatili nalang tayo sa ating bahay sana--- lalong lalo na yung walang essential things to do paglalabas ng bahay---that is the best solution actually--because you shield yourself from the virus kung nasa bahay lang kayo ,” she said.
With the University of the Philippines experts' projection that COVID-19 cases might hit 100,000 by the end of August, Vergeire said that they continue to prepare the country’s health system “so that if and when this kind of surges happen, we will be prepared.”
Vergeire, meanwhile, said that they observed a good number of mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases occupying the different isolation facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“Pagtiningnan natin yung percentage ng occupancy nitong MEGA facilties, makikita natin na maganda iyung occupancy rate nila ,” said Vergeire.
“We can refer this ...kasi maganda yung relationship ng network dito sa Metro Manila with our MEGA facilities and this is being managed or overseen by the National Task Force ,” she added.
Some of the MEGA Ligtas COVID facilities in Metro Manila are the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) with an occupancy rate of 9.5 percent (28/294); World Trade Center with 70 percent (346/494); Las Pinas Rehabilitation Center with 62.9 percent (44/70); Quezon Institute with 98. 2 (110/112); Ultra Stadium with 51.5 percent (68/132); and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium with 98.2 percent (110/112), said Vergeire.
The Health official said that they also deployed an additional 5,000 health personnel in different facilities and has approved more “slots for hiring” of more personnel in hospitals, laboratories, quarantine facilities, swabbing centers, and primary care facilities.