DOH says COVID-19 positivity rate dips below 10%, infects 2,671 more in PH

By: Zacarian Sarao - 3 years ago

FILE PHOTO: This undated transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. NIAID-RML/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reported that the country’s COVID-19 positivity rate is now down to 9.6 percent as 2,671 from among the 25,629 people recently tested for coronavirus nationwide have been found infected.

This is the first time that the country’s positivity rate dropped below 10 percent since December 31.

Tests conducted on average in February, however, are generally lower compared to the number of tests conducted in January, or during the peak of the COVID-19 surge caused by the Omicron variant.

The recorded new cases are likewise the second-lowest so far this year after the 2,010 fresh infections reported on Tuesday, February 15.

READ: PH logs another record-low of new COVID-19 cases this year at 2,010

Based on the DOH’s report on Wednesday, 98 percent or 2,610 of the 2,671 new infections were registered within the last 14 days, with Metro Manila as the top region with the highest number of fresh cases at 622 (24 percent).

The DOH also reported that active infections are now at 68,829 after 6,130 patients recently recovered. Of the active cases, 63,027 patients are mild, 1,130 are asymptomatic, 2,920 are moderate, 1,433 are severe, and 309 are critical.

It further said that 77 other coronavirus patients have died – 32 this month and the rest during the previous months.

With these latest figures, the country’s total confirmed infections are now at 3,644,597; recoveries, 3,520,545; and deaths, 55,223.

Moreover, the DOH noted that 14 duplicates, including 12 recoveries, have been removed from the total case count and that 62 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.

KGA