PH is 20th nation with most number of COVID-19 cases

Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs arrive at an airport after being allowed to go home following weeks of quarantine amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines May 26, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is now among the 20 countries with the most number of coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) cases in the world after its caseload reached 314,079, according to the Johns Hopkins University’s virus tracker.

With the longest lockdown in the world, the Philippines surpassed Pakistan’s caseload of 312,806.

The United States still has the most recorded number of COVID-19 cases with over 7.2 million infections followed by India with 6,312,584 cases and  Brazil, which logged a total of 4,810,935 infections.

Below is the list of the 20 countries with the most number of COVID-19 based on Johns Hopkins’ dashboard:

1. US – 7,273,943
2. India – 6,312,584
3. Brazil – 4,810,935
4. Russia – 1,179,634
5. Colombia – 835,339
6. Peru – 814,829
7. Spain – 778,607
8. Argentina – 751,001
9. Mexico – 743,216
10. South Africa – 676,084
11. France – 616,960
12. Chile – 464,750
13. United Kingdom – 462,774
14. Iran – 461,044
15. Iraq – 367,474
16. Bangladesh – 364,987
17. Saudi Arabia – 335,097
18. Turkey – 320,070
19. Italy – 317,409
20. Philippines – 314,079

On Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported  2,415 new COVID-19 infections.

The DOH said 83 percent of the newly reported cases occurred within the past 14 days.

Latest data from the DOH, meanwhile, showed that there are 54,294 active cases in the country.

The region with the most number of newly reported cases is still Metro Manila with 930 cases, followed by Cavite with 238, Rizal with 128, Laguna with 123, and Negros Occidental with 103.

Meanwhile, 771 patients recovered from the disease, which pushed the total of recoveries to 254,223.

The death toll rose to 5,562 after 59 additional deaths were recorded.

Aside from this, the DOH noted that it removed 30 duplicates, of which 19 were recoveries and one was a fatality, from the total case count.

Moreover, there were also 17 cases previously tagged as recoveries but were later identified as deaths after final validation.

The Philippines first imposed lockdowns in March, around two months after the first COVID-19 case in the country was reported back in January.

Metro Manila and several other areas remain under the general community quarantine until October 31.

Earlier, the UP-OCTA Research Team said there has been a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases reported daily in the Philippines, but it warned against easing community quarantine restrictions especially in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the outbreak.

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