MANILA, Nov 5 (XINHUA/APP):The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,376 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,797,986.
The DOH also reported that 260 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country’s death toll to 44,085.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire urged the people to remain vigilant amid more relaxed lockdown rules in Metro Manila, saying the country has not reversed the COVID-19 transmission entirely.
Vergeire issued the warning as lockdown restrictions eased further in Metro Manila on Friday to alert level 2 on a scale of 5, allowing more economic activities and mobility in the capital region.
The Philippines has battled three waves of infections since the outbreak last year. The last wave peaked in September when the DOH reported its highest daily tally on Sept. 11 with 26,303 cases.
Vergeire said the average number of daily cases in Metro Manila has dropped to below 500 from more than 5,000 cases. Under alert level 2, the government allows establishments or activities in Metro Manila to operate at a venue capacity of up to 50 percent indoor and 70 percent outdoor.
More activities are also allowed, including social gatherings such as weddings, parties, and reunions. More people can also visit tourist attractions and recreational venues. Limited face-to-face or in-person classes are also allowed.
But Vergeire said people must not be complacent, stressing the country’s COVID-19 situation depends on the people’s behavior.
The Philippines, which has around 110 million population, has tested more than 21.5 million people so far since the outbreak of the pandemic.