Philippines logs 4,405 new COVID-19 cases, death toll nears 42,000

MANILA, Oct. 25 (Xinhua/APP):The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) reported 4,405 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,761,307.

The DOH said 149 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country’s death toll to 41,942. Five laboratories failed to submit data.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said it is crucial to continue practicing social distancing and good hygiene, avoid crowded places despite the drop of infections in the country.

“We are not saying that we are out of the woods, and we are not saying that we have totally decongested the hospitals,” Vergeire told an online briefing.

She stressed the need for people to comply with the safety protocols. “Measures to sustain the decline are needed as the holiday season approaches, and mobility is expected to increase,” Vergeire added.

Over the last weekend, thousands of people flocked to the Manila Bay dolomite beach in the capital that was recently open to the public after the government eased the lockdown restrictions this month.

The third wave of infections peaked in September when the DOH reported its highest ever daily tally on Sept. 11 with 26,303 cases.

The Philippines, which has around 110 million population, has tested more than 21 million people since the outbreak in January 2020.

Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.