DOH records new highest increase in COVID-19 recoveries; total now at 1,734

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday announced that the total number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recoveries in the country have reached a new record high with 116 new recoveries recorded on Friday, bringing the number of total recoveries to 1,734 as of May 8.

One hundred twenty new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were also recorded, raising the total to 10,463 as of May 8.

Meanwhile, nearly 700 patients have succumbed to the disease, with the addition of 11 new fatalities. The exact death toll is now at 696.

The DOH has so far tested more than 130,000 individuals in the country. It is aiming to conduct over 30,000 tests a day by the end of May to be able to determine the “complete picture” of the pandemic in the country.

The country’s COVID-19 positivity rate stands at 7 percent, which is still way below the 10 percent benchmark set by the World Health Organization (WHO),  Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim, chief of the Infection and Tropical Disease department of the Philippine General Hospital earlier said.

The number reflects the “good performance” of the government in battling the respiratory disease, she added.

READ: PH COVID-19 positivity rate way below global benchmark, expert says

Across the globe, there are 3.8 million people who have been afflicted with COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus board.

Of the number, more than 269,000 have succumbed to the disease while over 1.2 million were able to recover from it.

/MUF