Philippines: COVID-19 cases top 5,000, deaths near 350

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – The number of coronavirus cases in the Philippines crossed 5,000 and the death toll moved closer to 350 on Tuesday.

A total of 291 cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 5,223, according to the country’s Department of Health.

The death toll is up to 335 after 20 COVID-19 patients died on Monday, while recoveries reached 295 as 53 patients were discharged from hospitals.

According to local daily The Philippine Star, the deceased included a 29-day-old baby who became the country’s youngest COVID-19 fatality.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed that the baby from Batangas province, who was hospitalized after experiencing shortness of breath, had contracted pneumonia.

“He died of late-onset sepsis due to severe respiratory infection,” read the report.

The Philippines’ case count is now the highest among all Southeast Asian countries, followed by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.

On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the immediate purchase of rapid test kits to bolster the country’s testing capacity.

According to The Philippine Star, Duterte said he “will take the risk” and approve procurement without clearance from the country’s Food and Drug Administration, and the Health and Technology and Assessment Council.

The novel coronavirus has spread to 185 countries and regions since emerging in China last December, with the U.S. and Europe now the hardest-hit areas in the world.

More than 1.93 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll nearing 121,000 and almost 465,000 recoveries.