Total coronavirus cases in the country breached 150,000 on Friday, August 14, days before President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce a possibly new quarantine level over Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The Department of Health reported 6,216 new cases, bringing the total cases to 153,660.

Metro Manila accounted for over half or 61.9% of the newly reported cases at 3,848. It is followed by Laguna (302), Rizal (242), Cavite (240), and Bulacan (178) – all of which, along with the capital region, fall under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from August 4 to August 18.

Based on the case bulletin, majority, or 4,973 of the new cases reported symptoms from August 1 to 14, while 1,105 cases reported the onset of illness in July. The rest were cases since March.

Of the Friday tally, Metro Manila had 3,044 cases in the first two weeks of August and 695 cases in the month of July.

Close to 900 cases from Calabarzon (896) reported their onset of illness from August 1 to 14, while 103 said symptoms of the disease surfaced in July.

According to the World Health Organization, the incubation period of COVID-19, or the time between infection and appearance of symptoms, could be up to 14 days.

Recoveries, deaths, active cases

On Friday, the DOH said recoveries reached 71,405, as 1,038 people beat the disease.

Meanwhile, an additional 16 people succumbed to the virus. The coronavirus death toll now stands at 2,442.

There are currently 79,813 active cases nationwide.

Duterte placed Metro Manila and nearby provinces under a modified lockdown after the medical community called for a “time out,” as hospitals reached critical levels due to rising cases.

Health workers, however, had said that a two-week time out is not enough.

Duterte is set to announce a new quarantine restriction on Monday, August 17.

Malacañang had said it would be “highly unlikely” for Duterte to extend the MECQ, citing the need to revive the economy and the lack of funds to provide assistance to poor households. – Rappler.com