PH logs 305 more COVID-19 deaths, 2nd highest number of deaths in November

(FILE) Workers are finding themselves busier than ever at New Life Crematorium in Biñan City in Laguna, where families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 have to wait for at least two days to secure a slot. —RICHARD A. REYES (file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reported 305 new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, raising the country’s death toll to 46,422.

This is the second consecutive day the country has logged deaths above the 300-mark, despite recording a low number of new infections in the past few weeks.

According to the DOH, the total deaths currently account for 1.65 percent of the 2,821,753 confirmed infections of the virus in the country.

This is the second-highest recorded daily tally of deaths in November after Nov. 17 and Nov. 14, where 309 deaths were logged for both days.

These deaths also account for 0.91 percent of the total deaths worldwide.

According to Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker, the total deaths worldwide currently number 5,124,214, while infections are at 255,031,099.

Meanwhile, the total current active infections in the country slightly dropped to 23,158 on Thursday, after recoveries rose to 2,752,173.

The country also continues to have a low health care utilization rate, according to the DOH, with only 38 percent of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 28 percent of isolation beds, 20 percent of ward beds, and 20 percent of ventilators are currently in use.

In Metro Manila, occupied ICU beds are currently at 32 percent, isolation beds at 24 percent, ward beds at 24 percent, and 22 percent for ventilators.

/MUF