PH logs 5,823 new COVID infections
The Philippines logged on Friday 5,823 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 2,745,889, the Department of Health reported.
The DOH also reported 283 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 41,520.
The positivity rate stood at 11.6 percent, the DOH said.
NCR reproduction rate declines further
The COVID-19 reproduction number in the National Capital Region has decreased to 0.46 from 0.59 a week ago, the independent OCTA Research Group said Friday.
The figure was also slightly lower than Thursday's 0.47, OCTA said.
Reproduction rate refers to the number of people infected by one case. A reproduction number that is below 1 indicates that the transmission of the virus is slowing down.
Temper optimism, virus expert says
An expert has told the public to be “cautiously optimistic” even as the number of COVID-19 cases declined in the country.
"We need to tell the public to be optimistic but cautiously, cautiously optimistic because still, 4,000 is way beyond our previous peaks,” Prof. Jomar Rabajante of the University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team said during an interview on TeleRadyo.