MANILA - The number of Filipino health care workers infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has risen to 1,101, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

The tally includes 434 doctors, 400 nurses, 55 nursing assistants, 32 medical technologists and 21 radio technologists, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a televised briefing.

Vergeire did not specify what the remaining 159 accounted for, but in an earlier count, the DOH included other workers of health facilities and barangay health workers.

To date, 20 doctors and 6 nurses have succumbed to COVID-19, she added.

“Kami po ay taos-pusong nakikiramay sa mga pamilya at kaibigan na naulila ng health care workers na pumanaw dahil sa sakit na ito,” Vergeire said.

(Our heartfelt condolences to families and friends of health care workers who died because of this disease.)

As of Saturday, the Philippines has tallied 7,294 coronavirus infections, of whom 494 died and 792 recovered.

• Philippines reports 102 new coronavirus cases, total 7,294

The World Health Organization earlier sounded alarm on the number of Filipino health care workers getting sick of COVID-19.

Dr. Abdi Mahamud, COVID-19 incident manager for Western Pacific, said the Philippines could be considered an “outlier,” with health care workers accounting for 13 percent of total infections, compared to the regional average of 2 to 3 percent.

“We are working very closely with the ministry of health to determine the reasons why the Philippines has a high percentage,” he had said.