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Manila [Philippines], January 1 (ANI/Xinhua): The Philippines' health department on Saturday reported 3,617 new COVID-19 infections, taking its total to 2,847,486.
The department also reported 43 more deaths from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country's death toll to 51,545. The number of active cases in the country climbed to 17,374. Analyst Guido David of the OCTA Research Group said the reproduction number in the country has jumped to 3.19, meaning that each person who tests positive for COVID-19 infects three other people. In a social media post, Guido said that the positivity rate, or the percentage of people who test positive for the virus, in Metro Manila has increased to 21 percent. Health department data showed that Metro Manila, home to over 13 million people, is the region with the most active and new cases in the Southeast Asian country. Jonas del Rosario, spokesperson of the Philippine General Hospital, noted an increase in the admission of COVID-19 patients, including children. The Philippines sees a spike in cases due to high mobility and poor compliance with safety health protocols during the holiday season. The health department reported its highest daily caseload on Sept. 11, 2021, with 26,303 cases, as the country grappled with the third wave of infections since January 2020. The Philippines, with a population of around 110 million, has tested more than 23.5 million people since the outbreak of the pandemic. (ANI/Xinhua)
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