Philippines' COVID-19 cases surpass 600,000, PNG endures largest surge of infections

HONG KONG, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in Asia-Pacific countries as the Philippines' total cases topped 600,000 on Tuesday while Papua New Guinea is enduring the largest surge of infections.

India's COVID-19 tally rose to 11,244,786 as 15,388 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry.

According to the official data, the death toll mounted to 157,930 as 77 COVID-19 patients died since Monday morning.

There are still 187,462 active cases in the country, while 10,899,394 people have been discharged from hospitals after medical treatment. There was a decrease of 1,285 active cases during the previous 24 hours, while the northern state of Punjab saw an increase of 523 cases.

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,668 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 600,428.

The death toll climbed to 12,528 after seven more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. It added that 171 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 546,078.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque reported during a televised public meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte late on Monday that the number of cases rose in Metro Manila and other regions across the country.

Duterte blamed the spike on complacency as the Filipinos "abandoned" the minimum health protocols, urging people to wear face-covering properly and keep a safe distance.

Malaysia reported 1,280 new COVID-19 infections, the health ministry said, bringing the national total to 316,269.

Another nine deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 1,186.

A total of 2,345 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total cured and discharged to 296,379 or 93.7 percent of all cases.

South Korea reported 446 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Monday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 93,263.

The daily caseload was up from 346 the previous day, staying above 300 since mid-February.

Three more deaths were confirmed, leaving the death toll at 1,645. The total fatality rate stood at 1.76 percent.

Sri Lanka saw its total tally of COVID-19 cases rise to 86,039 with more than 200 new confirmed infections reported by the Health Ministry.

According to the official data, the COVID-19 related death toll has risen to 507. Out of the total infections, 82,513 patients have so far recovered from the coronavirus epidemic and there are currently 3,019 active cases being treated in the Asian country.

Sri Lanka began vaccinating residents in its hotspot of coronavirus infection the Western Province including the capital Colombo in January. So far, thousands of local people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) health authorities were scrambling to contain a surge of COVID-19 infections, with official case numbers nearly doubling in the past five weeks.

Official figures released Monday showed 87 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded the day before, taking the country's total cases to 1,670 and 16 known deaths.

PNG's total cases have almost doubled in the past five weeks which officials have described as alarming, however, no intention was revealed to implement a lockdown in the capital.

Thailand confirmed 60 cases of coronavirus infection, mostly domestic, according to a report of the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration.

Thailand has so far confirmed 26,501 cases of infection, 23,623 of which were reported as domestic while 2,878 others referred to those who had returned from abroad and tested positive in this country.

So far, 25,851 patients have fully recovered and been released from hospitals while 565 others are currently hospitalized and 85 fatalities have been reported.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen late on Monday ordered the temporary closure of state's civil institutions for at least one week as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

But all armed forces and healthcare workers still work as usual.

Hun Sen said at least 49 people in Phnom Penh Municipality, Kandal, Preah Sihanouk and Prey Veng provinces were tested positive for the COVID-19 on Monday. The Southeast Asian country has been enduring the third community COVID-19 outbreak since Feb. 20.