MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines on Monday announced 2,730 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily tally so far this year, data from the health department showed.

The positivity rate has declined to 10.7 percent, based on test results of samples from 28,620 people on Feb. 12, Saturday, according to the latest Department of Health bulletin. The rate is the lowest since Dec. 29, said Edson Guido, head of the ABS-CBN Data Analytics Team.

Of the newly reported cases, 2,627 or 96 percent occurred within the recent 14 days. Metro Manila (467 cases), Calabarzon (330 cases) and Central Visayas (283 cases) were the top regions with cases in the recent two weeks.

The number of fresh infections is also the lowest in 6 weeks or since Dec. 30 when 1,623 were announced, according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

The Philippines has so far tallied a total of 3,639,942 cases, of which 76,609 or 2.1 percent remain active. This is the lowest number of active infections since Jan. 6 when 56,561 were reported, the research group said.

Of the day's active cases, 69,574 (90.81 percent) are mild, 2,310 (3.02 percent) are asymptomatic, 2,970 (3.88 percent) are moderate, 1,443 (1.88 percent) are severe, and 312 (0.41 percent) are critical.

COVID-related deaths increased by 164 to 55,094. This is the highest daily figure since Feb. 6, when 312 deaths were reported, the ABS-CBN IRG said.

Of the newly reported deaths, 86 occurred this month, 52 last month, six in December, two in November, six in October, eight in September, and two each in August and July.

There were 7,456 more recoveries, raising the total number of recuperations to 3,508,239. This is the highest daily tally since Feb. 12, when 10,662 were recorded, the research group added.

Sixty-eight duplicates, including 52 recoveries, were removed from the total case count, while 121 cases previously tagged as recuperations were reclassified as deaths after final validation, the DOH said.

Two laboratories, which contribute on average 0.1 percent of samples tested and 0.1 percent of positive cases, were unable to submit their data, the DOH said.

The intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization rate in Metro Manila and nationwide was at 31 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

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The Philippines on Monday expanded nationwide the COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 5 to 11.

• Govt begins nationwide COVID-19 vaccination of kids age 5 to 11

Some 91,000 children of the said age group have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19, while 9 million children ages 12 to 17 have also received the jab with "minimal" and no serious adverse effects, according to Secretary Carlito Galvez, chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

The government is extending Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila, home to more than 13 million people, until Feb. 28.

• Metro Manila keeps COVID-19 Alert 2 until end-Feb; 7 other areas under Alert 3