DOH records highest number of COVID-19 deaths in one day

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday recorded the highest number of deaths related to COVID-19, at 186.

This brings the total death toll from COVID-19 to 4,292 as of Sept. 12.

A bulletin released by DOH showed that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had reached 257,863 because of 4,935 new cases documented as of Sept. 12.

Data revealed there were 659 individuals who survived the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 187,116.

According to DOH, the number of “active cases” was 66,455 – representing those who have not yet been tagged as deaths or recovered.

The DOH said the National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of cases at 2,619, followed by Cavite with 343, Laguna with 258, Rizal with 227 and Negros Occidental with 177 cases.

This developed as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) reported yesterday that its testing laboratories had already processed 251,583 samples for COVID-19 since Jan. 20.

“This milestone is largely possible through the dedication and commitment of our Laboratory Research Division. To date, we have deployed more than 500 laboratory personnel who tirelessly work across 12-hour shifts daily,” RITM director Celia Carlos said.

With surging number of cases, RITM has activated three testing streams involving several departments and reference laboratories to accommodate specimens within its catchment areas in the NCR, Calabarzon and Mimaropa.

Carlos added they have tested a total of 2,000 to 2,500 nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens per day as part of the hospital’s “institutional augmented response where laboratory departments are collaborating to deliver and perform heightened COVID-19 testing.”

As of Sept. 8, RITM has tested 251,583 samples corresponding to 210,031 individuals.

To further expand the country’s COVID-19 testing capacity, the facility has gotten heavily involved in the evaluation of applicant laboratories across all 17 regions.

And as of Sept. 4, RITM has assisted in the accreditation of 117 realtime-polymerase chain reaction and catridge-based PCR labs.