Daily COVID cases in the Philippines nearly doubled for the third straight day, with 2,961 infections tallied on New Year's Eve Friday as the country stood on guard against an Omicron variant outbreak.
There were 421 cases on Dec. 28, 889 on Dec. 29, and 1,623 on Dec. 30. Friday's tally brought active cases to 14,233, with 481 new recoveries and 132 new deaths reported.
Overall, a total of 2,843,979 COVID-19 cases have been reported since the outbreak began in March 2020, of which 2,778,242 have recovered and 51,504 died.
The DOH urged Filipinos to limit their New Year's Eve gatherings to their immediate family and avoid gatherings outside that bubble,.
If meeting others outside your immediate bubble, "MEET, then DON'T EAT together so you can safely keep your masks on while enjoying the company of family and friends outside your bubble," the DOH said.
Those who will experience even mild symptoms after gatherings should immediately isolate, get tested, and stay in isolation for 10 days, authorities said.
"The DOH enjoins everyone to do what is within our power to avoid making year 2022 another version of 2020. Let us act with utmost vigilance as if the highly transmisible Omicron variant is already here."
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