16,694 New COVID Cases on Day 1 of MECQ

The second highest single day jump.

by Pia Regalado

Photo/s: Eloisa Lopez, Reuters

The Philippines on Saturday recorded the second highest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases on the first day of slightly looser lockdowns for millions in Metro Manila.

The 16,694 new cases brought the total number of active infections to 123,935. The record for the most number of new infections in a day was tallied on Friday at 17,231. Since the pandemic started in March last year, the country has had a total of 1,824,051 infections.

The Department of Health also counted on Saturday 398 deaths and 15,805 recoveries, bringing the cumulative totals to 31,596 and 1,668,520, respectively.

Also on Saturday, Metro Manila was downgraded one notch to MECQ from ECQ, allowing most businesses to operate at limited capacity, except for salons, spas and gyms which will remain shut alongside all forms of dine-in.

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