Southeast Asia’s Virus Hotspot Sees Fewer New Infections

(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines reported 2,218 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the fewest in more than a month, after briefly reimposing a stricter lockdown over the capital region and its surrounding areas in early August. The recent decline has helped increase the time it takes for cases to double, from 6 days in June to 10 days in August, indicating slowing virus transmission, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. Still, despite implementing one of the region’s earliest and longest quarantines, the Philippines is battling Southeast Asia’s largest outbreak with more than 226,000 infections, hampering the government’s efforts to lift the economy from its deepest slump in more than three decades.

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