A DAY after registering the lowest number of COVID-19 cases for the year, the Department of Health (DOH) logged only 1,712 new afflictions, another new low for this year based on the DOH COVID-19 Case Bulletin issued today, February 20, 2022.
Overall, the number of COVID-19 infections in the country now stands at 3,652,203 cases.
Active cases dropped further to 60,532 cases today compared to yesterday’s 62,533. Active cases are patients undergoing treatment in government hospitals and temporary quarantine facilities.
Recoveries from COVID-19 today, however, dropped to 3,686 cases from yesterday’s 5,158 count, pushing overall COVID-19 recoveries in the country to 3,535,987 cases.
The number of deaths today, meanwhile, sank to 77 from yesterday’s 198, bringing the number of total COVID-19 deaths to 55,684.
Positivity rate today, meanwhile, rose slightly to 8.8 percent from yesterday’s 7.9 percent and with 28,500 people tested.
Also, 92.4 percent of the cases were mild and asymptomatic, the DOH bulletin noted.
A total of 257 duplicates were removed from the total case count, of which 246 were recoveries.
Also, 61 cases tagged earlier as recoveries were reclassified as deaths upon final validation.
All laboratories were operational on February 18, 2022, but three laboratories were not able to submit their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System (CDRS). According to data in the last 14 days, the three laboratories contributed, on average, 0.7 percent of samples tested and 0.5 percent of positive individuals.
The agency continues to remind the public not to become complacent against the threat of COVID-19 and make it a habit to follow the minimum public health standards and to always wear face masks, and also face shields when in medical facilities, maintain physical distancing and frequently wash hands. At the onset of symptoms, immediately isolate and undergo testing. Remember to be tested at the right time, and to be vaccinated in order to receive added protection against COVID-19.