MANILA, Philippines — Eighteen more individuals have succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), even as the total tally of cases in the country increased to 4,195 on Friday.
According to the Department of Health, the COVID-19 death toll in the Philippines is now at 221 while it documented 119 new infections of the highly contagious respiratory illness.
Meanwhile, DOH said 16 patients were able to recover from COVID-19. The total count of recoveries is now 140.
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which outbreak started in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei province in late 2019.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.