The Department of Health has confirmed an additional 385 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 in the country bringing the total of cases to 3,018.
This is the first time that the country has surged past the 3,000-mark in terms of confirmed new cases. Some 29 people have died, increasing the COVID-19 death toll to 136.
One new recovery was recorded bringing the total number of recoveries to 52.
Chief Implementer of the government’s response on the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 crisis General Carlito Galvez revealed that the government may soon conduct mass testing for COVID-19.
In a media briefing on Thursday, Galvez said that they are planning to test all persons under monitoring and persons under investigation starting April 14.
“We expect that by April 14, we will be able to start massive testing of persons under investigation, monitoring,” Galvez said.
He added that there are now more hospitals who are accredited to conduct COVID-19 tests and the mass quarantine facilities are being readied in the next few days.
“We have now nine accredited hospitals and we are asking to expedite accreditation of more hospitals for COVID-19 testing. On the quarantine facilities, within the next 10 days we hope to convert the Rizal Complex, World Trade Center, PICC, and CCP as mass quarantine facilities,” Galvez said.