MANILA — The Department of Health on Monday recorded 128 new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, bringing the total number of cases to 1,546.

In its bulletin Monday, the DOH also reported 7 new fatalities, raising the death toll to 78. Those who recovered remain at 42.

Of the 7 new fatalities, 4 are 60 years old or older. Only 3 have recorded pre-existing conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

The youngest of the four is 43 years old and the oldest is 79 years old. Two are from Davao City and the rest are from Metro Manila.

Their profiles are as follows:

- PH149, a 61-year-old Filipino female from Makati with no travel and exposure history. The patient, who has hypertension, tested positive for COVID-19 on March 16 and died on March 27 due to acute respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia secondary to COVID-19.

- PH587, a 79-year-old Filipino male from Muntinlupa with no travel history. He tested positive on March 24 and died on March 29 due to acute respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia.

- PH647, a 43-year-old Filipino male from Paranaque City with no travel and exposure history. He was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 25 and died on March 27 due to myocardial dysfunction and acute respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia and COVID-19.

- PH1488, a 60-year-old male from Muntinlupa. DOH has yet to validate his nationality, travel and exposure history. He tested positive for COVID-19 on March 25 and died on March 26 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), septic shock and COVID-19.

- PH1447, a 45-year-old Filipino male from Davao City with unknown travel and exposure history. He was confirmed as a COVID-19 case on Mach 29, 6 days after he died due to cardiopulmonary arrest, ARDS secondary to pneumonia and hypoxia.

- PH1446, a 59-year-old Filipino male from Davao City with no travel history. The patient, who has cardiac disease, died on March 29 due to ARDS secondary to pneumonia and hypoxia. He was only confirmed as a COVID-19 case on March 29.

- PH1489, a 74-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with unknown travel and exposure history. The patient who had diabetes and hypertension died on March 21 but only tested positive for COVID-19 6 days after his death due to ARDS secondary to pneumonia.

• READ: Almost half of COVID-19 fatalities in PH got results on day of or after death

Based on the latest tally of the World Health Organization, there are more than 630,000 cases of COVID-19 around the world, with nearly 30,000 deaths, as of March 29.

The Philippine main island of Luzon has been placed on lockdown since March 17 in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease in the country.

Although no cure or vaccine has been found yet, the WHO has started what it calls the “Solidarity Trial,” a multi-country clinical trial program that will test four drugs and drug combinations that may be effective in treating COVID-19.