MANILA, Philippines (Updated 4:50 p.m.) — The country’s coronavirus case tally went up to 139,538 Tuesday after the Department of Health reported nearly 3,000 additional infections.
The Department of Health logged 2,987 new cases—the first time in nearly two weeks that the country did not report at least 3,000 additional cases. The day before, record-high 6,985 infections were recorded.
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Metro Manila was the source of around 51% or 1,510 of the newly-announced cases. It was followed by Cavite with 398 cases, Laguna with 144, Iloilo with 135 and Cebu with 119.
The number of active cases stood at 68,794—91.6% of which were mild cases.
The Philippines has the most number of coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia and has more cases that mainland China, where the pathogen first emerged late last year.
The DOH also registered 280 additional recoveries, raising the total number of COVID-19 survivors to 68,432. Recoveries accounted for nearly half of the nation’s confirmed cases.
But the death toll also rose to 2,312 after 19 more patients died from the respiratory illness.
The department said Tuesday’s numbers were based on data submitted by 74 out of the 99 operational laboratories in the country. It also removed 87 duplicates from the total case count.
To date, some 1.7 million individuals have been tested for coronavirus.
Outbreak epicenter Metro Manila and the neighboring areas of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine until August 18.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said an extension of MECQ is “highly unlikely.”
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 734,000 people worldwide with nearly 20 million infected.