Covid-19 cases rise to 30,682; recoveries now 8,143

FILE: SOCIAL DISTANCING. Shoppers practice social distancing while waiting for their turn to enter the supermarket at Fisher Mall in Quezon City on Wednesday (April 22, 2020). (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported 630 additional coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, raising the overall tally to 30,682.

The DOH said 163 of the new cases are “late” or results belatedly reported and were only verified recently, while 467 are “fresh cases” or results released to the patient within the past three days.

Of the fresh cases, 149 are from the National Capital Region (NCR), 164 from Region 7 (Central Visayas), 153 from other regions, and one repatriate.

Meanwhile, 25 of the late cases are from NCR, 93 from Central Visayas, and the remaining 45 from other regions.

The DOH also reported 250 new recoveries and eight new deaths.

To date, the total number of recoveries nationwide is 8,143 while the death toll is 1,177.

In a Covid-19 virtual presser, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said there are 63 DOH-accredited testing laboratories nationwide as of Monday.

Of the total number, 46 are RT-PCR laboratories while the remaining 17 are GeneXpert laboratories.

“The Prime Care Alpha Covid-19 Testing Laboratory ang pinakabagong licensed laboratory, isang laboratoryo na gumagamit ng real-time PCR at matatagpuan po sa (is the latest licensed laboratory, it is a laboratory that uses real-time PCR located in) Region 7,” Vergeire said.

To avoid the lack of supplies used in testing specimens for Covid-19, laboratories perform a regular inventory of their supplies according to their daily and weekly usage.

Vergeire said private sector partners help the DOH identify suppliers to address the laboratories’ needs.

“Bukod po dito, gumawa rin tayo ng zoning guidelines kung saan nakikipagtulungan po ang mga laboratoryo sa isa’t isa kapag naaantala o bumababa ang kapasidad ng ating mga laboratories dahil sa (In addition to this, we’ve created zoning guidelines where laboratories help each other when one laboratory’s capacity slows down due to) operational issues,” she added.