The Department of Health recorded 1,893 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, the 19th straight day in which the country posted below 2,000 infections.

The latest figure brings the country’s caseload to 427,797 but 474 more recoveries were reported, raising the tally to 388,062.

However, the death toll went up to 8,333 with 79 more dying from the respiratory illness.

The country has 31,402 active cases, 7.3 percent of the total caseload.

Davao City has the highest number of new cases with 200, followed by Negros Occidental with 123, Western Samar with 84, Pampanga with 60, and Quezon City with 57.

DoH recorded 12,311 health care workers who tested positive for COVID-19 as Nov. 23.

It said that 12,002 or 97.5 percent of the total figure have recovered, while 76 have died, and 233 are active cases or those who are still ill.

DoH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reminded the public to stay vigilant amid the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said that further study is needed to conclude if COVID-19 could have a negative impact on male fertility.

A report has said that “researchers from the University of Miami in Florida compared testis tissues from six men who died of COVID-19 and three who died of other causes. Three of the COVID-19 patients had testis damage that would impair their ability to produce sperm.”

“Nakita natin iyang artikulo na iyan nung isang linggo at ito po naman ay ibinigay natin sa ating mga eksperto para bigyan tayo ng appropriate na pagpapaliwanag kung paano ito (We saw that article last week and we gave it to our experts to give us an appropriate explanation about this),” said Vergeire.

“Itong mga ganitong binibigay, kailangan pag-aralan muna natin, huwag muna natin paniwalaan. We should have adequate and further evidence para dito bago tayo makapagsabi at makapag rekomenda sa ating mga kababayan (These kinds of things, we must study first. We should have adequate and further evidence for this before we can conclude and give recommendations to our countrymen),” she added.