Covid-19 cases reach 20.6K; recoveries now 4,330

A total of 244 new confirmed cases were registered bringing the overall tally to 20,626 as of June 5. (File Photo by CDC/Unsplash)

MANILA – The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) recoveries has increased by 82, jacking up the tally to 4,330, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday.

A total of 244 new confirmed cases were registered bringing the overall tally to 20,626 as of June 5.

Of this number, 168 are fresh cases or those detected in the past three days while 76 are part of the validated backlog.

In a virtual presser, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the late cases are beginning to decrease as DOH continue validating the “complete line list” or master list of test results submitted by laboratories.

“Inaasahan po natin na maguumpisa na po tayong makapag-report ng fresh cases pagkatapos mag-submit ng complete line list ang nag-i-isang laboratory na hinihintay natin (We expect to focus on reporting fresh cases once the one remaining laboratory submitted their complete line list),” she said.

Meanwhile, the DOH reported three new fatalities, raising the death toll to 987.

Vergeire said the DOH has released Thursday night the first health benefits check to the kin of one frontline health worker who died of Covid-19.

“Sampung pamilya ang kasalukuyang papadalhan ngayon sa National Capital Region at dalawa naman na ang napadalhan na sa Region 11 (At least 10 families in the National Capital Region are expected to receive today while two have already received in Region 11),” she said, saying the remaining have been received by other regional offices.

“Mismong si Secretary Francisco Duque III ang nagtungo sa bawat pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay para makiramay at ipaabot ang tulong sa kanila (Secretary Francisco Duque III himself visited the families to turn over the assistance),” she added.

Boosted Covid testing

In an update, Vergeire also said that the DOH has already conducted an average of 10,000 daily tests within the week.

“Dahil lumaki na rin po ang ating testing capacity ngayon ay may kapasidad na rin tayong mag-expand ng coverage for testing to include other sub-groups katulad ng asymptomatic ngunit hindi po nangangahulugan na lahat ay ite-test natin (Since our testing capacity has improved we can now expand the coverage for testing to include other sub-groups like the asymptomatic but this does not mean the entire population will be subject to tests),” she said.

With the expansion, certain criteria are also set to determine who will get tested, she explained.

During the presser, Dr. Anna Ong Lim, head of the Philippine General Hospital-Infection and Tropical Disease, said the criteria may include those who had close contact with the positive patient such as kin, workmates, and healthcare workers tending to the ill.

The second category, on the other hand, could include those with no close contact but has a pre-existing medical condition, senior citizens, or those undergoing procedures such as dialysis and chemotherapy.

“Ang totoong objective naman natin sa testing is to be able to identify ‘yong mga maaaring may sakit or nagsisimula palang magka-sakit or magka-sintomas dahil maaari silang manghawa (The true objective of testing is to be able to identify who has the illness or those who are just starting to exhibit symptoms because they could infect others)… It’s very critical to understand that testing does not just end at testing it also has an intervention,” she said.