The Philippines has reported 3,962 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total case tally to 283,460 as of 4 pm on Saturday, September 19.

This is the highest single-day increase in the country’s newly reported cases since September 14, when 4,699 cases were recorded.

The Department of Health (DOH) said that of the total figure, 68,645 cases were active, of which 87.4% were mild, 9% were asymptomatic, 1.1% were severe, and 2.5% were critical.

The agency reported 100 more fatalities from the disease, bringing the country’s death count to 4,930.

Meanwhile, 1,128 more patients have beaten the virus, bringing total recoveries to 209,885.

The bulk of the newly reported cases were from the National Capital Region, with 1,440 cases. Other areas that reported relatively high number of additional cases were:

• Bulacan: 354
• Cavite: 287
• Laguna: 222
• Batangas: 213

The DOH said it removed 27 duplicates from the total case count, including 15 cases previously reported as recoveries.

One recovered case was also removed from the tally after the DOH verified it to be a foreigner.

Meanwhile, 17 cases previously reported as recoveries were “reclassified as deaths after final validation,” the agency said.

“These numbers undergo constant cleaning and validation,” the DOH said. These means reported figures may change later on.

Of more than 120 accredited COVID-19 laboratories in the country, 10 were unable to submit data to the DOH’s COVID-19 Data Repository System (CDRS) on September 18. They were:

• Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center
• Dr Jorge P. Royeca Hospital
• Kaiser Medical Center Incorporated
• Lanao del Norte Covid-19 Testing Laboratory
• Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (GX)
• Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (RT-PCR)
• Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
• Safeguard DNA Diagnostics
• Taguig City Molecular Laboratory
• Valenzuela Hope Molecular Laboratory

On hospital capacity, the DOH said 50% of a total 1,900 intensive care unit beds designated for COVID-19 cases remain available, as well as 56% of 13,900 isolation beds, and 54% of 5,700 ward beds.

Some 73% of a total 2,200 mechanical ventilators are also still available for COVID-19 patients, the DOH added. – Rappler.com