COVID-19 death toll now at 11

MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines on Sunday confirmed 29 new cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), raising to 140 the total number of patients afflicted with the illness.

The Department of Health has yet to release details of the new cases.

The health department, likewise, announced the death of patients 9, 12, 54 and 39, bringing the death toll to 12.

• Philippines' COVID-19 death toll rises to 8

Patient 9 was an 86-year-old American male from Marikina City died Saturday afternoon, while Patient 54, a 40-year-old Filipino male from Pasig City, died early morning Sunday.

Patient 36, a 64-year-old Filipino male from Negros Oriental, died past 11 a.m. Sunday.

• Negros Oriental councilor with COVID-19 dies

Patient 12, a 56-year-old Filipino male, expired Sunday night.

The Philippines is currently under a state of public health emergency, with the response alert at Code Red, Sub-level 2 following "sustained community transmission."

Metro Manila is currently under community quarantine starting Sunday, March 15, to Tuesday, April 14, as government hoped to contain the outbreak.

• READ: Philippines' COVID-19 death toll rises to 8

In an interview on DZMM, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said there are also 6 patients who are under home quarantine due to mild symptoms.

There are currently 153 patients under investigation (PUIs) as of Sunday.

Vergeire also advised the public not to discriminate against those who are under home quarantine.

"Wag niyo naman pong idiscriminate yung ating may mga kaso ng COVID-19. Lagi po nating tatandaan kung paano nakakapanghawa ang taong may COVID-19. Ang COVID-19 po, droplet infection ang means of transmission, direct contact. Ibig sabihin po kung hindi po kayo napalapit doon sa mismong may COVID-19, hindi naman kayo nagkaroon ng direct interaction, wala naman kayong daoat ikabahala. Kung kayo po ay kapitbahay, one house away, 2 houses away, hindi naman nagpunta sa kaniya, wala kayong dapat ikabahala," she said.

"Kapag asymptomatic, hindi masyadong nakakahawa compared doon sa severe," Vergeire added.

Mild symptoms include cough, colds, fever and sore throat.

The COVID-19 has killed over 5,000 people and infected some 140,000 others worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization to declare it as a pandemic.