No new coronavirus case in 41 provinces in last 2 weeks

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-one provinces in the country have reported no new case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the last two weeks, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Twenty-three of these provinces have never recorded a case of the disease since the first was reported in late January, the DOH added.

These provinces are:

Abra

Agusan del Sur *

Aklan

Apayao *

Aurora *

Basilan

Batanes *

Biliran *

Bohol

Bukidnon

Camarines Norte *

Camiguin

Capiz

Catanduanes

Compostela Valley

Cotabato

Davao Occidental *

Davao Oriental *

Dinagat Islands *

Eastern Samar *

Ilocos Sur

Kalinga *

Maguindanao

Masbate *

Mountain Province *

Negros Oriental

Northern Samar

Pangasinan

Quirino *

Sarangani *

Siquijor *

Sorsogon *

South Cotabato

Southern Leyte *

Sultan Kudarat

Surigao del Norte *

Surigao del Sur *

Tawi-Tawi *

Zambales

Zamboanga del Norte *

Zamboanga Sibugay *

At present, there are 9,684 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, including 637 fatalities and 1,408 recoveries.

The bulk of the cases are in Metro Manila, with 6,234 individuals infected with the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, 4,892 of these cases are considered active.

A local epidemiology expert earlier said the COVID-19 curve is flattening, citing the recent decline in the number of new cases and deaths due to the novel coronavirus.

The country’s case doubling time has lengthened to “around four days” while the mortality rate shows a “more dramatic” slowdown as it approaches the seven-day rate, according to Dr. John Wong, president and founder of think tank EpiMetrics, Inc.

He also pointed out that flattening of the curve is “more evident” in Metro Manila where the vast majority of the COVID-19 cases nationwide are concentrated.

EDV