METRO Manila continues to have the highest number of cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, with 65 percent of the total infections coming from the metropolis.
Based on the data from the Department of Health 9,063 of the 14,035 cases as of May 24 are from Metro Manila (National Capital Region). The DOH data also showed that 639 of the 868 fatalities and 2,409 out of the 3,249 patients who have recovered, are also from the NCR.
Despite this, a comparison of the region’s week-to-week cases and deaths showed the NCR situation is improving.
Based on the COVID-19 daily tracker, NCR had an average of 160 cases and 11 deaths a day, during the period of May 12 to 18. The number of cases and deaths per day in Metro Manila has gone down to 137 and 5, respectively, during the period of May 19 to 24. In contrast, the average cases of COVID-19 recoveries in the NCR was at 71 per day during the period of May 12 to 18. It increased to 78 recoveries per day in the NCR during the period of May 19 to 24.
On Sunday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, chief of the National Task Force against COVID-19, said the NCR might transition to a general community quarantine (GCQ) from the current modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) beginning June 1, depending on the improvement of COVID-19 numbers in the region.
On a nationwide scale, cases of COVID-19 continue to increase after the DOH reported 284 new cases on Monday.
Based on the latest case bulletin, the DOH reported there were of 14,319 COVID-19 cases in the country as of Monday.
Among the COVID-19 cases, five new fatalities were also recorded. This brings to 873 the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the country.
Also on Monday, the DOH reported 74 new cases of recoveries among COVID-19 patients. This means that there are now a total of 3,323 COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the disease.
The disease that originated in China is now present in 216 countries and territories, and has infected some 5.2 million individuals and killed at least 337,700 persons as of May 24, according to the World Health Organization.
FILIPINOS ABROAD
The number of overseas Filipinos who died from COVID-19 sharply increased on Monday, with 34 new deaths recorded in the Middle East, bringing the total number of fatalities so far to 328.
This after the Department of Foreign Affairs recorded only three new deaths on Sunday.
The DFA also reported 94 new infections among Filipinos overseas, mostly in the Americas, raising the total to 2,617.
Ten new recoveries were recorded in Europe and the Middle East.
In Malaysia, 17 of 115 infected Muslim Filipinos remain confined in hospitals undergoing treatment. The other 98 have been discharged from confinement after being cleared by doctors.
The 115 tested positive for COVID-19 after attending tabligh, a religious gathering, in Selangor, Malaysia from February 27 to March 1. All 115 still in Malaysia.
Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose gave the update during Monday’s “Laging Handa” public briefing as he expressed optimism that the country has stopped the latest cluster of infection blamed on the tabligh.
He said 105 of the Filipinos are madrasa students who were required to attend the gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque as part of their curriculum. The other nine travelled from the Philippines to attend the event.
“Malaysia is doing comparatively well in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. As of May 24, the total number ng COVID-19 positive cases was at 7, 245 with recorded death at 115 which is 1.58% ng total cases. Those that were cured and discharged numbered 5,945 or 82% of total cases,” he said.
The Ministry of Health ng Malaysia attributed the success to adequate capacity of healthcare facilities to accommodate infected patients, effective implementation of the lockdown or movement control order, and active case detection.
“They have increased their daily testing capacity. They started with 7,000. They increased to 16,000 to 23,000, They have also adopted targeted approach to high-risk group and were aggressive in contact tracing,” Jose explained.
He said Malaysia is also adversely affected by the pandemic with economic losses estimated at $550 million per day.
“Like other countries in our region, Malaysia’s tourism industry was also hit hard as it is the third biggest contributor to their GDP, at 7 percent after manufacturing and commodity sector. Some 3.5 million workers rely on tourism,” he said.
He said the Malaysian government is promoting local tourism with financial assistance extended to affected sectors of the industry as part of their overall economic stimulus package totaling $58 billion. — With Ashzel Hachero and Peter Tabingo
