By J. Jala | 07:23 PM March 31, 2020
The Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 that the Philippines now has 538 new cases of coronavirus which brings to 2,084 cases in the country.
Seven more patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number recoveries to 49.
The DOH also confirmed that 10 more patients died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), raising the death toll in the country to 88.
The ten new fatalities, all Filipinos, were identified as Patients 935, 798, 1,419, 1,032, 2,045, 1,372, 1,508, 862, 1,240, and 1,680.
Patient 935 was an 83-year-old male from Parañaque City with no travel history who died on March 29 of acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19. He also had chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Patient 798 was a 74-year-old male Quezon City resident with no travel history who died on March 29 due to community-acquired pneumonia and COVID-19. He also had hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac disease.
Patient 1,419 was a 69-year-old male from Quezon City with no travel and exposure history who died on March 30 due to septic shock secondary to community-acquired pneumonia. He also had hypertension and cerebrovascular accident infarct.
Patient 1,032 was a hypertensive and diabetic 64-year-old female Manila resident with no history of travel who died on March 27 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to community-acquired high-risk pneumonia.
Patient 2,045 was a hypertensive 60-year-old male from Quezon City whose travel history is still unknown. He died on March 26 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to high-risk pneumonia.
Patient 1,372 was an 89-year-old male Caloocan City resident with unknown travel history who died on March 28 due to several complications secondary to COVID-19. He also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia
Patient 1,508 was a hypertensive 72-year-old male from Rizal whose travel history is still unknown. He died on March 26 but his COVID-19 test results only came back positive the following day. He died of fatal arrhythmia, hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury, and acute respiratory failure.
Patient 862 was a hypertensive 78-year-old male from Quezon City with unknown travel history who died on March 25 but only tested positive for COVID-19 the following day. He died of acute respiratory failure secondary to community-acquired high-risk pneumonia.
Patient 1,240 was a 51-year-old male San Juan resident whose travel history remains unknown. He died on March 28 due to numerous complications and COVID-19 and also had hyperthyroidism.
Patient 1,680 was a 51-year old female from Rizal with unknown travel history who died on March 24 but only tested positive for COVID-19 the next day. She died of acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to high-risk pneumonia, and severe acute respiratory Infection.
The DOH earlier said that there would be a spike in cases in the country as more tests are conducted. More testing kits arrived in the country in the last couple of weeks, both government purchases and donations from other governments.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier signed Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act which grants himself 30 special powers to address the coronavirus outbreak, including the power to temporarily do away with the original purpose of an allocation so that any of its unspent balance can be used to fight the new virus.
