MANILA – Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country hit another single-day record on Monday as the Department of Health (DOH) tallied over 8,000 new confirmed cases.
Based on its data, 8,019 patients tested positive for the virus, easily surpassing the country’s previous highest number of cases logged in a day which accounts to 7,999.
The country has now a total of 671,792 cases, 80,970 are active cases – the second-highest since the pandemic started.
DOH announced that 103 more patients recovered, bringing the total to 577,850, while there were four new casualties for a death count of 12,972.
The Malacañang, meanwhile, anticipates that the two-week general community quarantine (GCQ) with stricter restrictions in “NCR plus”, which includes National Capital Region (NCR) and four other adjacent provinces Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, beginning on Monday will decrease COVID-19 cases by 25 percent.
“Ang target natin, with these measures and at the end of the two-week period, na magkakaroon ng minimum 25 percent reduction (sa COVID-19 cases) but we’re hoping for more,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday.
In a resolution by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, only essential travel in and out of the “NCR plus” bubble will be allowed, although public transportation will remain operational at previously approved capacities.
Mass gatherings, including those for religious purposes, were prohibited. Weddings, baptisms, and funeral services are limited to 10 persons. Workplaces were also tasked to limit their on-site capacity to 30 to 50 percent.
Restaurants were also limited to takeout, delivery, and al fresco or outdoor dining with provisions for administrative controls. Visiting persons outside the immediate family is discouraged and wearing of masks for the elderly and vulnerable even at home is advised./PN
