COVID-19 cases crack 10,000 barrier
Daily coronavirus cases shattered the 10,000 barrier as the government began enforcing a one-week enhanced community quarantine in NCR and other nearby provinces on Monday.
The Department of Health reported 10, 016 cases, which brought total cases to 731, 894. Active cases reached 115, 495, out of which 95.9 percent are mild and 2.4 percent asymptomatic.
However, in the National Capital Region--the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, ICU beds were 76 percent utilized while isolation beds were 70 percent used, the DOH said.
Sixteen died from COVID-19, raising total fatalities to 13, 186. Seventy eight got well, placing total recoveries at 603, 213.
In a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said it is not impossible for ECQ to be extended.
"We are not closing our doors. This is not cast in stones. For now, officials are only looking at this one week," said Vergeire.
"Everything will be flexible. Everything will be dynamic. Everything will be based on a lot of factors," she added.
Vergeire said the DOH will consider healthcare capacity of the country's medical facilities and hospitals.
"Most importantly, it will be based on the capacity of our healthcare system. We can see that the system is already choking. We are having full capacities in emergency rooms, in ICUs ," said Vergeire. DMS
