MANILA - The Philippines has recorded 12 deaths from the coronavirus disease 2019, with four more fatalities reported Sunday, the Department of Health said.

On Sunday afternoon, the DOH reported the death of patients 9, 54 and 39.

• Philippines' COVID-19 death toll rises to 8

Patient 9 was an 86-year-old American male from Marikina City died Saturday afternoon. He had history of travel from the US and South Korea.

Patient 54, a 40-year-old Filipino male from Pasig City, died early morning Sunday. He had no history of travel and no history of exposure prior to the onset of symptoms.

Patient 36, a 64-year-old Filipino male from Negros Oriental, died past 11 a.m. Sunday. He had a history of travel to Greenhills, and had chronic renal disease.

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A few hours after, DOH reported another fatality, this time, of patient 12, a 56-year-old Filipino male who died Sunday night.

Patient 12 died of acute respiratory distress syndrome and reportedly had preexisting asthma.

He was admitted to Makati Medical Center on March 7 and was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 on March 9.

The country currently has 140 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

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

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.