FILE PHOTO: A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is the type of virus linked to COVID-19, shared with Reuters on February 18, 2020. NEXU Science Communication/via REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) registered an additional 782 new infections of COVID-19 on Thursday, with active infections down further to 18,392.
This marks the third consecutive day the country recorded daily cases below 1,000.
Based on the DOH online COVID-19 tracker, this put the total COVID-19 caseload to 4,006,635 nationwide, with 3,924,064 recoveries and 64,179 deaths.
These new infections are also slightly higher than the cases recorded on Wednesday which was at 775.
The tracker also showed that Metro Manila continues lead the list of regions with the most number of cases in the past two weeks with 4,355 cases, leads the list of regions with the most number of infections in the past two weeks, followed by Calabarzon at second with 2,624 infections, and Western Visayas with 1,577.
In terms of individual areas with the most cases, Quezon City leads with 1,062 infections, followed by Cavite with 934 and Davao Del Sur with 815.
It should be noted that this new number of infections recorded reflected the 8,401 tests conducted on Nov. 1. This number is way below the average number of tests conducted, based on past DOH data, which usually number more than 15,000.
Meanwhile, on Nov. 2, a total of 12,297 tests were conducted which will reflect the daily tally for Friday.
This low number of both infections and tests conducted came after the health department has just recently detected the XBB Omicron subvariant and XBC variant of COVID-19.
Both are believed to be highly immune-evasive, with the XBB tagged as the main driving force for the recent COVID-19 surge in Singapore, and the XBC being a combination of the BA.2 sublineage of the Omicron and Delta variants
The DOH also earlier warned that virus transmission is likely to increase especially after the observance of “Undas,” and the upcoming Christmas holidays.
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