A man wearing a face mask stands in front of a poster of COVID-19 preventive measures at Manila Bay in Manila, the Philippines, Sept. 21, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 290,190 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,475 new daily cases on Monday. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
MANILA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 290,190 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,475 new daily cases on Monday.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries also rose to 230,233 after 400 more patients recovered. Meanwhile, 15 more patients died, bringing the death toll to 4,999.
The Philippines has tested over 3.19 million people so far, according to DOH data. The country has 129 COVID-19 testing laboratories.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a virtual media briefing that the DOH has moved to regulate the price of swab testing in the Philippines.
She said the DOH wants the cost of the COVID-19 diagnostic tests in all testing centers to have a standard price. Swab tests cost from 4,600 pesos (roughly 95 U.S. dollars) to 8,150 pesos (roughly 168 U.S. dollars).
Meanwhile, the Philippines has further eased the deployment ban of health workers to work abroad, which was imposed amid the shortage of health workers in the country.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a televised press conference that President Rodrigo Duterte had decided to allow health professionals with complete documentation by Aug. 31 2020 to leave for work abroad.
Before Monday's announcement, the Philippines only allowed health workers with contracts by March 8 to leave the country.
Citing data from the Department of Labor and Employment, Roque said some 1,500 health workers stand to benefit from the new rule. Enditem
