The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported 2,965 new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, raising the country’s overall tally to 197,164 with 61,730 active cases.

According to the DOH, the additional cases were based on the total Covid-19 tests done by 95 out of 109 operational laboratories.

Of the active cases, the health authorities said 91.6 percent were mild cases, 6.1 percent were asymptomatic, 0.9 percent were severe cases, and 1.4 percent were critical.

The majority of the new cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR) with 1,575 cases, Negros Occidental with 237, Laguna with 151, Cavite with 129, and Batangas with 95.

Of the 2,965 infections reported, 2,434 or 82 percent occurred within the past 14 days (August 12 to 25) and the top regions with cases in the past two weeks were NCR with 1,430 or 59 percent, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) with 395 or 16 percent, and Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 218 or 9 percent, the DOH said.

The department also reported 368 new recoveries and 34 deaths, bringing the total number of recoveries to 132,396 and the number of deaths to 3,038.

“Of the 34 deaths, 26 or 76 percent were in August, seven or 21 percent were in July, and one or 3 percent (was) in June and the deaths were from NCR with 22 or 65 percent, Region 7 (Central Visayas) with four or 12 percent, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) with three or 9 percent, Region 5 (Bicol) with two or 6 percent, Region 4-B (Mimaropa) with one or 3 percent, Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) with one or 3 percent, and one repatriate or 3 percent,” the DOH said.

It added that some 53 duplicates were removed from the total case count and of these, 13 recovered cases and one death were removed.

“Moreover, we have updated the outcomes of seven cases – six were previously reported as deaths, of which five have been updated as recovered, and one case was previously reported as recovered but updated as death after final validation. These were already included in the count of new deaths and recoveries,” the DOH said.

As of Monday, the 83 licensed reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratories and 27 licensed GeneXpert laboratories have conducted a total of 2,207,267 tests nationwide.

The DOH said it has a 19,700 total bed capacity dedicated to Covid-19 patients.

Occupied are about 49 percent of 1,700 intensive care unit beds; 48 percent of 12,800 isolation beds; and 51 percent of 5,200 ward beds.

About 27 percent of 2,200 ventilators are in use. (PNA)