PHL reports 26,458 new COVID-19 cases

(Eagle News) — COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 2,936,875 on Saturday, Jan. 8, after the Department of Health reported 26,458 additional cases.

This is an increase from the 21,819 additional cases reported on Friday, Jan. 7.

According to the DOH, all labs were operational on  January 6, 2022 while six labs did not submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System.

Of the total cases, 102,017 were active.

Of the active cases, the DOH said 3399 were asymptomatic, 94007 were mild, 2842 were moderate, 1462 were severe, and 302 were critical.

Recoveries rose to 2782723 with the additional 1656 recoveries.

The COVID-19 death toll is now at 52135, with the additional 265 deaths.

The DOH has warned of an “exponential” increase in COVID-19 cases in the country, with what it said was the “continued decreased adherence” to minimum public safety protocols and the detection of local Omicron variant cases.

The DOH has said the Philippines was at a “high risk” for COVID-19.

On Saturday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III floated the possibility of allowing Metro Manila to revert to a COVID-19 alert level 4 with restrictions on mobility to help stop the continued transmission of the virus.

Metro Manila is so far under a COVID-19 alert level 3.