The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 521 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, Dec. 29, bringing the total number of infections in the Philippines to 4,135,345.

The DOH Covid-19 tracker, however, showed no additional Covid-19-related deaths, maintaining the fatality rate at 1.6 percent.
The country has 5,757 active Covid-19 cases.
It also revealed a 98.3 percent recovery rate, with a total of 4,062,775 people having survived the virus.
On the availability of intensive care unit (ICU) beds designated for Covid-19 patients, 223 beds, or 12.43 percent, of the 1,794 available ICU beds are currently occupied.
Non-ICU Covid-19 beds were also frequently utilized, with 2,604, or 16.22 percent, of the 16,059 available beds in use, while mechanical ventilators, numbering 1,890, had 112 currently in use by Covid-19 patients.
DOH continues to warn the public not to become complacent in the face of the Covid-19 threat.
The department stressed the importance of adhering to minimum health standards, which included wearing well-fitting face masks and staying in well-ventilated areas.
It said that individuals with symptoms of Covid-19 should be isolated immediately.
For added protection, DOH also reminded the public to get their Covid-19 vaccine and booster as soon as possible.