COVID-19 cases climb to 552 after 90 incidents reported

March 24, 2020

Ninety new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported Tuesday, bringing total cases in the Philippines to 552, the Department of Health (DOH).

Two have died, bringing the total to 35. while two patients recovered, putting the total at 20.

First new recovery is a 21-year old Filipino female from Davao de Oro with travel history from United Kingdom and Qatar. 

The second is a 76-year old Filipino female from Quezon City exposed to known COVID-19 cases. 

In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are now  requiring a COVID-19 patient to test negative once to be discharged.  "If the COVID-19 patient tests negative already, has no more symptoms, and his other tests are already normal, like CBC, chest x-ray, they can already be discharged," said Vergeire. 

But the patient has to undergo a 14-day home quarantine after their discharge and then take another test. DMS