Philippines records 50,000 virus cases

Confirmed coronavirus infections in the Philippines soared past 50,000 on Wednesday in a troubling milestone for a country that has reopened an economy on the brink of recession while still struggling to combat the pandemic.

The Department of Health reported 2,539 new cases, bringing the country's total to 50,359, including 1,314 deaths.

The Philippines' caseload is the second largest in Southeast Asia, where the combined number of infections has surpassed those in China, where the pandemic emerged.

President Rodrigo Duterte eased a tough virus lockdown in the Philippine capital of more than 12 million people on June 1 after the economy shrank slightly in the first quarter, its first contraction in more than two decades. The downturn may be worse in the second quarter and usher in a recession, economic officials said.

Duterte suggested in remarks broadcast on Wednesday that he will be careful in further relaxing coronavirus restrictions, saying he could not be as bold as US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

"I'm sorry but I cannot really ... remove the leash," Duterte said on TV, adding that if he allowed massive numbers of people back into the streets, the result might be "too horrible to ponder."

Finding the balance between public health and reviving the economy has been fraught with dilemmas.

Officials acknowledge that the rising number of infections is a red flag but say it does not currently pose a high risk to a gradual resumption of economic activities if people follow mandatory health safeguards, including wearing face masks and social distancing.

Nearly 800,000 people have been tested for the virus so far and about 7% were found to have been infected, officials said.

(Representative Image)