(Eagle News) — The Department of Health announced more patients recovering from COVID-19 on Wednesday, April 15, than virus-related deaths as coronavirus cases rose further to 5,453.
The number of COVID-19 cases added in the past 24 hours were 230 which was lower than Tuesday’s 291 additional new cases.
Patients who recovered also increased at 58, bringing the total patient recoveries to 353.
The COVID-19 related fatalities added as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, were only 14, bringing total fatalities to 349.
This is the first time that the total number of patients who recovered from COVID-19 were higher than those who died from the disease.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that number already included mild cases who recovered while under self-isolation at home.
-Growing number of recoveries than deaths reported since April 13-
Yesterday, Tuesday, April 14, the DOH also reported more patient recoveries at 53, which is more than 20 virus-related deaths. The total patient recoveries on Tuesday were listed at 295 while total deaths as of Tuesday were 335.
On Monday, April 13, reported recoveries added to the tally were 45, which was also higher than the 18 additional deaths. The new cases added then were 284.
On Sunday, April 12, there were still more deaths reported that was added to country’s total, than recoveries. Sunday’s number of deaths were 50, while patient recoveries were 40.
On Saturday, April 11, there were even lower patient recoveries reported at 17, while deaths added were 26.
Earlier, Vergeire said that the numbers being previously reported by the DOH on patient recoveries were just those who recovered in hospitals and do not include those cases who recovered at home.
The DOH has started its expanded mass testing on COVID-19 this week. It hopes to conduct 8,000 to 10,000 COVID-19 tests daily by April 30.
Vergeire stressed that the public should cooperate with the government and follow the enhanced community quarantine protocols
“Patuloy po ang pagpapa-alala ng ating kagawaran na ang laban kontra COVID-19 ay nagsisimula sa ating mga tahanan. Kayo po ang frontlines sa labang ito. COVID-19 should stop at your doorsteps,” she said.
The Philippines is the country with the most number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia, followed by Malaysia. But the country with the most deaths in the region is Indonesia with 469 reported fatalities, based on the data from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) virus dashboard on global COVID-19 cases.
