DOH: Over 16,000 recover from COVID-19 as cases reach 189K

MANILA, Philippines — More than 16,000 persons have recovered from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the Philippines’ total caseload reached 189,000, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Sunday.

In its daily COVID-19 case bulletin, the DOH reported 16,459 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 131,367.

The health department also recorded 2,378 more people that contracted the respiratory disease, which brings the total number of cases to 189,601.

Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 death toll is now at 2,998 after 32 more people died from the disease.

Of the new infections reported, 818 cases came from Metro Manila, 331 came from Region 4-A and 153 came from Region 3.

Upon validation of its figures, the DOH said it found 26 duplicates which were removed from the total caseload, including nine recoveries.

Four cases previously reported as recoveries were validated to have died and were already included in the count of deaths, DOH added.

The surge in the number of recoveries is due to DOH’s “Oplan Recovery” where it tags a patient as recovered after they complete a 14-day isolation from the time they showed COVID-19 symptoms or their samples are collected for testing.

JE