
(Eagle News) — The number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the country rose to 169,213 on Tuesday, Aug. 18, after the Department of Health reported 4836 cases on the same day.
According to the DOH, of the total cases, 53,665 were active cases.
Of these, 91.5 percent were mild, 6.2 percent asymptomatic, 0.9 percent severe, and 1.3 percent critical.
The 4836 newly-announced cases were from tests done by 84 out of 105 labs.
The DOH said of the 4836, 2959 came from Metro Manila, 321 from Laguna, 220 from Cavite, 185 from Rizal, and 145 from Bulacan.
Recoveries also rose to 112861 after the DOH reported 182 additional ones today.
Seven deaths were reported, bringing the total to 2687.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Aug. 17, announced Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal would revert to a general community quarantine that has less restrictions starting tomorrow, Aug. 19.
This was after a two-week modified enhanced community quarantine in those areas.
The government imposed the MECQ following a call for a two-week “timeout” to recover from exhaustion by the medical community.
Medical workers said the government could also use the period to recalibrate its COVID-19 strategy amid the rising COVID-19 cases.