A soldier from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wearing a face mask builds a temporary COVID-19 quarantine facility near a hospital in Manila, the Philippines on April 23, 2020. The Philippines reported 271 new infections on Thursday, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 6,981 since the outbreak. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
MANILA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines reported 271 new infections on Thursday, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 6,981 since the outbreak.
The Department of Health (DOH) said that 29 more patients have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 722. However, it said 16 more patients have died from the disease, bringing the death toll to 462.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said earlier in live online media briefing that it is too early to say if the coronavirus curve in the Philippines has flattened due to data limitations.
However, she said that there are indications that COVID-19 cases have slowed down.
Vergeire explained the daily tally of cases the DOH released is not in real time, and there is still a gap in the turnaround time.
The DOH said at least 500 patients in the Philippines will be initially joining the solidarity trial of four different drugs, launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19.
"There will be 500 patients in different hospitals in Metro Manila and other parts of the country that will be involved in this trial," Vergeire said, adding the trial can kick off as early as Friday if the documentary requirements will be completed.
