THE Department of Health reported on Monday 1,547 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily tally in six days, and a positivity rate of 4.1 percent.
Data from the health department showed that of the total 2,818,511 recorded cases since the pandemic reached the country, 27,025 or 1 percent are active infections.
The number of active cases is the lowest in nearly 9 months, or since Feb. 22 when 26,519 active infections were recorded, said the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, citing DOH data with duplicates removed.
COVID-related deaths increased by 128 to 45,709. This is the lowest in 5 days or since Nov. 10 when the country reported 99 deaths, the ABS-CBN IRG said.
The DOH also reported 2,601 more recoveries, raising the total number of recuperations to 2,745,777.
Three laboratories, which contribute on average 0.7 percent of samples tested and 0.3 percent of positive cases, were unable to submit their data, the DOH said.
A total of 16 duplicates were removed from the total case count, including 12 recoveries, while 109 cases previously tagged as recuperations were reclassified as deaths after final validation, the DOH said.
The 4.1 percent positivity rate was based on test results of samples from 39,147 individuals on Nov. 13, Saturday. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark for positivity rate is 5 percent or lower for at least two weeks. A relatively high rate means more people should be tested for the coronavirus.
