Philippines reports 77 new COVID-19 cases; infection count now at 307
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines reported 77 new coronavirus infections on Saturday afternoon, continuing an upward trend that brought the national tally to 307.
According to the Department of Health, the newly reported number of cases was the biggest daily jump so far.
The DOH said five more patients recovered, four of them were elderly. Meanwhile, the total fatalities stood at 19.
In a desperate bid to slow down the contagion rate, President Rodrigo Duterte sealed off the entire island of Luzon for a month and imposed restrictive quarantine measures on households.
Duterte also shut down schools and banned mass gatherings. Public transportation was suspended, preventing thousands of employees from going to work while armed troops were told to guard entry points.
The drastic containment measures imposed by the government highlights the Philippines’ struggle to arrest the spread of the disease, worsened by limited supply of test kits and the country’s weak health infrastructure.
While the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions are the hardest hit by the virus, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that young people were also vulnerable.
"Today I have a message for young people: you are not invincible. This virus could put you in hospital for weeks -- or even kill you," Tedros said.
"Even if you don't get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else."
The coronavirus pandemic has infected more the 250,000 people across the globe and killed more than 11,000. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with AFP
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