The number of Filipinos infected with COVID-19 breached the 85,000 mark on Wednesday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,874 new cases, bringing the total to 85,486.
The figure marks the 15th straight day where at least 1,300 new infections were reported.
The five provinces with the highest number of new cases were Metro Manila with 728, Cebu with 325, Laguna with 130, Iloilo with 67, and Rizal with 53, the DOH said.
The death toll climbed to 1,962 with 16 new fatalities.
Total recoveries also rose to 26,996 after 388 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease.
There are also 56,528 active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 90.1 percent of which are mild, 9 percent are asymptomatic, 0.5 percent are severe, and 0.4 percent are in critical condition.
The DOH said figures reported on Wednesday were based on data submitted by 83 out of the 91 operational laboratories.
The department also removed 61 duplicate cases from the total tally of infections.
Despite the continued rise in cases, the government’s inter-agency COVID-19 task force earlier approved the partial reopening of clinics offering aesthetic services and cosmetic dentistry, gyms, and internet cafes starting August 1.
Malacañang previously said Metro Manila’s return to a modified enhanced community quarantine was not a “foregone conclusion,” citing an improvement in the case doubling time, even after experts projected over 85,000 cases by July 31.
President Rodrigo Duterte will announce “major changes” to the country’s coronavirus response on Thursday./Stacy Ang
