(Eagle News) — COVID-19 cases in the country breached the 272,000 mark on Wednesday, Sept. 16, after the Department of Health reported 3,550 additional cases.
The DOH said of the 272,934 total cases, 60,344 were active cases.
Of these, 87.7 percent were mild, 8.4 percent asymptomatic, 1.2 percent asymptomatic, and 2.7 percent critical.
Of the 3,550 cases reported today, 2,984, or 84 percent, occurred within the recent 14 days or from September 3 to September 16.
Metro Manila had the most cases of the 3,550 cases announced today, with 1459, followed by Rizal with 271, Cavite with 196, Bulacan with 172, and Laguna with 172.
Recoveries rose to 207,858 with the additional 524 reported today.
The death toll is now at 4,732 including the additional 69 reported.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to decide on the physical reduction rule in public transportation on Thursday.
This was after some medical experts warned of a possible spike in COVID-19 cases with the rule, which would see physical distancing among commuters reduced to less than one meter in stages.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Health are against the rule, which the Department of Transportation has started implementing with a reduction to 0.75 meters on Monday, Sept. 14.
The DOTr and national action plan against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., on the other hand, defended the rule, saying commuters were safe provided other safety and health protocols such as the wearing of face masks and the ban on talking in public utility vehicles were implemented.
