MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos abroad who have contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has exceeded the 16,000 mark, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Tuesday.
In its March 23 bulletin, the DFA recorded 21 new COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad, bringing the total infections to 16,006. Of this number, 5,257 are undergoing treatment, 9,702 have recovered, while 1,047 have died.
Most of the cases are in the Middle East and Africa regions (8,884 cases), followed by Europe (3,217 cases), the Asia Pacific Region (3,004 cases), and the Americas (901 cases).
“To date, the Middle East and Africa remain to be the region with the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, recoveries, under treatment, and fatalities among our nationals,” DFA said.
“The Americas continue to record the least numbers in all categories compared to other geographic regions, except in the total number of deaths wherein Asia and the Pacific ranks lowest with a total of only 21,” it added.
Today, the DFA reports 21 new COVID-19 cases, 2 new recoveries, and no new fatality among overseas Filipinos in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. @teddyboylocsin#DFAForgingAhead#WeHealAsOne pic.twitter.com/gGUMFXDbWE
— DFA Philippines 🇵🇭 (@DFAPHL) March 23, 2021
In the Philippines, total coronavirus cases have soared to 677,653 amid the renewed surge of infections.
READ: New COVID-19 cases ease down to 5,867; active infections highest at 86,200