DOH reports 2,291 new COVID-19 cases, Duque says country “doing okay”

October 5, 2020

The Department of Health (DOH) said Monday 2,291 new coronavirus disease cases were reported as 17 labs were not able to provide data.

This brought total cases to 324, 762 of which 45, 799 are active. The DOH said 85.6 percent of active cases were mild, but critical cases came in at 3.6 percent, down from Sunday's 3.8 percent.

Asymptomatic cases were 9.2 percent while severe cases 1.6 percent of active cases.

Deaths fell from Sunday's 100 to 64, which raised total fatalities to 5,840. Thirty-seven deaths were recorded in the National Capital Region,  but 13 and 15 of these cases took place in July and September.

There were 87 persons who overcame COVID-19, which placed total recoveries at 273, 123.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told a TV interview that "according to the Octa Research Group, there has been flattening of the curve. But it is not at the very low point, not yet to a level that is significant.''

"(But) we’re heading towards the right direction," he added.

Duque said the death rate is low, at 1.79 percent case fatality rate, and is third among the 20 countries with the lowest deaths.

He added the country is doing "fairly ok" with about 85 percent recovery of patients.

"We are doing okay... We just have to look at it at a much broader perspective," said Duque. DMS