The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed another 244 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country, raising the Philippines' total tally to 20,626.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria Vergeire (Facebook)
Of the new cases, 168 were referred as "fresh" or test results released within the last three days and validated by the DOH epidemiology bureau. Only 76 cases were considered "late," or test results released after more than four days and that were just recently validated.
“Mababa na po ang mga bilang ng late cases na naitala natin ngayon, sapagkat halos tapos na po ang pagva-validate ng mga complete line list na galing sa ating mga laboratories (The number of late cases we reported now is low because we are almost done with the validation of the complete line lists from our laboratories),” Health Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.
“Inaasahan po natin na mag-uumpisa na tayong makapag-report ng fresh cases pgakatapos mag-submit ng complete line list ang nag-iisang laboratoryo nalang na inaantay natin (We expect to start reporting fresh cases once the lone laboratory that we are waiting on has submitted its complete line list),” she added.
Currently, there are 52 laboratories in the country that can conduct COVID-19 testing.
Meanwhile, the DOH said 4,330 patients in the country have fully recovered from the disease after 82 more recoveries have been reported.
However, three more patients died of COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 987.