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COVID-19-PHILIPPINES
COVID-19 cases in Philippines surge to 72,269 with 1,594 newly-reported
MANILA, July 22, 2020 (BSS/XINHUA) – The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 72,269 after the country’s Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,594 new cases on Wednesday.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 23,623 after 342 more patients have survived the disease.
The death toll also increased to 1,843 after six more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH added.
Metro Manila, home to approximately 15 million people, is still the epicenter of the epidemic in the Philippines with 971 new cases reported on Wednesday.
Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Metro Manila may return to a “more stringent” community quarantine if the cases continue to spike.
Philippine Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a virtual media forum on Wednesday that the government may require public hospitals to increase the number of beds allocated for COVID-19 patients to up to 70 percent if the coronavirus cases will continue to rise.
Only 30 percent of the hospital bed capacity are currently allotted for coronavirus patients for both the public and private hospitals, according to the DOH. However, not all hospitals are able to comply with the capacity requirement due to the lack of resources.
“If there is a surge, the allocation could increase to 50 percent. If the need to raise it further, they may increase it up to 70 percent,” she said. Endite
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 1633 hrs