The Department of Health (DoH) reported almost 5,000 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday.
Based on the latest bulletin, the total number of cases in the Philippines is now 98,232 as 4,963 new infections were recorded.
The country now ranks first in the list of countries in the Western Pacific region with the most number of cases, according to the situational report of the World Health Organization.
Behind the Philippines is China with 87,956 cases as of July 31. COVID-19 was first detected in China in December last year.
The DoH also noted that COVID-19 related deaths increased to 2,039 as there were 17 additional fatalities. Ninety-three patients recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 65,265.
Various medical associations in the country called on the government on Saturday to place the National Capital Region again on enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), noting that the healthcare workers are already “exhausted” amid the rising number of cases.
The DoH said that it acknowledges the “sacrifices and challenges of our healthcare workers whom we have been working with since the start of this pandemic.”
“We support the call of our frontliners to ensure appropriate implementation of community quarantines to ensure the protection of our health workers, but while the government is taking the necessary actions to address the situation, we emphasize that it is also the duty of every citizen to ensure that our health system is not overwhelmed,” the DoH said.
“Rest assured that DoH is leading in working together with the other agencies in supporting the HCWs (healthcare workers) and our plight during this situation,” it added.