MANILA, Philippines — The number of Covid-19 cases are decreasing nationwide, but it’s on the rise in the Central Visayas and Caraga regions and eight cities in Metro Manila, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said during the pre-recorded briefing of President Rodrigo Duterte that aired late Monday night.
He did not specify the Metro Manila cities.
On Monday, the Department of Health reported 1,685 new Covid-19 infections, driving total active cases nationwide to 27,588.
The DOH also reported 14 new recoveries and two deaths, increasing the tally of recovered patients and fatalities to 511,755 and 11,517, respectively.
All in all, the country’s sum Covid-19 case count has reached 550,860 as of Feb. 15.
According to Duque, the DOH is coordinating with different regions to determine whether the increase in cases was brought about by the new Covid-19 variant currently spreading in the country.
The findings were not yet conclusive, he said.
The country has so far confirmed a total of 44 cases of the more transmissible UK Covid-19 variant.
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