The Philippines on Saturday tallied 12,576 new COVID-19 cases, ahead of a meeting of the government's pandemic response task force on whether or not some 24 million people in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces should stay under lockdown.
The country now has 165,715 active COVID-19 cases, according to the Department of Health. On Friday, the DOH tallied 15,310 cases, including 3,709 in backlogs from two days prior. It was a fresh all-time even if the backlogs were not included.
As the Philippines battles a fresh wave that is overwhelming hospitals, the cumulative total now stood at 784,043 cases, 13,423 deaths and 604,905 recoveries. On Saturday, the DOH reported 103 deaths and 599 recoveries.
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The Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 was scheduled to meet on Saturday to decide on a possible extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan beyond Easter Sunday, April 4.
The ECQ means most of the region's 24 million people are required to stay indoors, except when running food and medicine errands. Limited on-site work is allowed and restaurants are only allowed take-out and delivery.
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