Quezon COVID-19 update: 140 new cases, death toll at 890, over 75,000 fully vaccinated

LUCENA CITY – Quezon province recorded 140 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Friday, its highest single-day tally since the pandemic broke out early March last year.

The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in its 5 p.m. bulletin showed that Quezon’s capital Lucena City posted the most number of new cases with 25.

The IPHO also disclosed that eight COVID-19 fatalities were also recorded – two each in Lucena and Tiaong and on each in Tayabas City, Candelaria, San Antonio and Dolores.

The death toll in the province rose to 890.

Quezon, which remains under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until August 31, has been recording an upward trend in active COVID-19 cases.

As of August 20, there were 1,389 active cases, from only 705 on July 23. At least 308 of them are in Candelaria town and Lucena, 305.

On August 18, the Department of Health revealed that Quezon has eight confirmed Delta variant cases, the highly transmissible mutation of the coronavirus.

The rising number of new cases could be partly due to the public’s disregard of health and safety protocols, according to Dr. Grace Santiago, IPHO head.

Data from the IPHO showed that  75,922 residents in Quezon received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of August 14 while 220,753  received the first dose.

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