By The SUN
 |
| Soldiers check vaccination records of bus passengers as Covid-19 cases continue to spike |
The Philippines has reported 33,169 new coronavirus infections on Monday, Jan. 10, the highest since the country recorded its first case in March 2021.
It topped Sunday’s record figure of 28,707 cases. Before this, the highest daily tally was recorded on Sept 9, 2021, when 27,887 cases were logged.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Testing results from ten other laboratories were not submitted on time and were thus not included in the latest daily report.
Officials say they assume the surge is being fueled by the new and highly transmissible coronavirus variant, Omicron.
The new cases took the country’s total Covid-19 tally to 2,998,530. Of these, 5.3% or 157,526 remain active or are currently sick.
 |
| CONTACT US! |
Meanwhile, recoveries rose by 3,725 for a total of 2,788,711.
The positivity rate also rose to 46%, meaning nearly five people in 10 can be infected by every person who has the virus. The figure was based on data from 73,234 people who were tested on Saturday, according to the Department of Health.
But according to pandemic monitoring group OCTA, the positivity rate in the National Capital Region where the bulk of new cases were reported, rose to a record high of 50.5% on Jan. 7.
 |
| Press for details |
This was more than 10x higher than the 5% that the World Health Organization considers as safe.
 |
| Demand for medical oxygen is on the rise as more infected people choose to isolate at home |
Some good news may be in store, however. Octa’s research fellow Dr. Guido David said on Twitter that DOH figures showed the rate of increase could be slowing down.
“If the increase in positivity rate is slowing down, then the peak in the NCR might occur within the week. Let us hope that is the case,” he said.
 |
| Pindutin para sa detalye |
DOH figures showed 18,535 or 56 percent of the new infections were recorded in Metro Manila. Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Central Luzon also reported spikes in the number of new cases.
Officials at One Hospital Command Hospital, which takes care of referring sick people to hospitals in Metro Manila, said they have been swamped with more than 1,000 calls per day.
Last month, before the Omicron-fueled surge began, an average of 150 to 200 calls were made to the referral hotline.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Some experts have called for increased restrictions amid the mounting number of cases which have afflicted even hospital and other health workers.
But officials said Monday that there is still no need to raise the alert to the fourth level, the second highest in the five-step alert system.
 |
| PADALA NA! |
