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Philippines sees record coronavirus infections, death rate climbs
The health ministry confirmed 17,231 new cases and 317 fatalities, the highest daily death toll in four months. Deaths reached more 1.8 percent of total cases, bringing the August average to 1.5 percent, versus 1.9 percent in July.
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Police inspect documents of motorists travelling from nearby Rizal province at a border checkpoint in Quezon City, suburban Manila on August 6, 2021, after authorities imposed another lockdown in the metropolis due to the threat of the Delta variant of Covid-19. (AFP/Ted Aljibe)
T
he Philippines reported a record in new coronavirus cases on Friday and warned the trend could continue as restrictions were relaxed in the capital region to try to spur economic activity.
The health ministry confirmed 17,231 new cases and 317 fatalities, the highest daily death toll in four months. Deaths reached more 1.8 percent of total cases, bringing the August average to 1.5 percent, versus 1.9 percent in July.
With more than 1.8 million cases and 31,198 deaths, the Philippines has one of the highest coronavirus tolls in Asia.
The health ministry urged more people to identify infections sooner and get vaccinated to boost protection.
"Early consultation and testing would help to cut infections in homes, communities, and workplaces," it said in a statement.
More than 26 percent of samples taken tested positive, the country's highest positivity rate so far, while active cases hit 123,251, a four-month record.
Hospitals were filling up, with 73 percent of the country's intensive care capacity already utilised and 61 percent of isolation beds occupied, government data showed.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday approved the relaxation of coronavirus curbs in the capital region, a metropolis of 16 cities and home to more than 13 million people, to allow more businesses to resume operations
