Philippines logs 5,683 new COVID-19 cases

Manila [Philippines], May 4 (ANI/Xinhua): The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported 5,683 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily tally since March 19, bringing the country's total tally to 1,067,892.
The death toll climbed to 17,622 after 97 more patients died from the coronavirus epidemic, the DOH said.
The Philippines, which has about 110 million population, has tested over 11 million people for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020 in the Southeast Asian country.
The DOH reported on Tuesday an additional 289 infections with the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 virus variant first reported in Britain, 380 with the B.1.351 variant detected in South Africa, and nine with the P.3 variant found in the Philippines among the 744 samples sequenced last week.
These coronavirus variants were detected in samples taken from returning overseas Filipinos and local residents, the DOH added, urging the Philippine people to strictly and consistently adhere to the minimum public health standards.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has urged public vigilance over the spreading COVID-19 variants.
"Let us just pray that these variants, mutants will not go haywire," Duterte said during his public address aired on Monday night, adding the variants "would be another challenge maybe to our native scientists." (ANI/Xinhua)