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| Covid-19 Philippines |
Philippines reports 3,139 new COVID-19 infections, total surpassing 350,000
Xinhua
16 October 2020
MANILA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines reported 3,139 new daily cases of the COVID-19 on Friday, pushing the total number of the confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 351,750.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries also rose to 294,865 after 786 more patients recovered. Meanwhile, 34 more patients died from the viral disease, bringing the death toll to 6,531.
The Philippines' capital Metro Manila topped the regions in the country with the highest number of daily confirmed cases on Friday with 1,003.
The government has lifted the restriction on non-essential travel of Filipinos, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement, adding the new policy will be effective on Oct. 21.
Roque said the policy will be beneficial to Filipinos who wish to visit their foreign partners abroad.
Roque said that the task force has also allowed business establishments and malls to hold sales and other marketing events to spur consumer spending and economic activity.
The government previously disallowed marketing events and other promotions in malls, which tend to attract large crowds, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Seven months into strict lockdown, the Philippines is gradually relaxing quarantine rules to boost the pandemic-hit economy. Enditem
