MANILA - The Philippines on Wednesday recorded 12,021 additional COVID-19 cases, the highest in more than 4 months, just as the health department included more areas in the country under the highest virus alert classification.

• 41 areas under highest COVID-19 alert as new cases fill hospitals: DOH

This is the first time in four months that the daily case tally exceeded 12,000, the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group (IRG) noted.

The country's total COVID-19 infections soared to 1,688,040, of which 81,399 or 4.8 percent are active, according to the Department of Health's (DOH) latest bulletin.

This is the 7th straight day that the number of new cases announced is above 8,000, data showed.

The DOH added that the positivity rate is at 21.9 percent, based on the test results of 38,478 individuals who were screened for the virus on Monday.

COVID-related fatalities rose to 29,374 with 154 more deaths.

Recoveries, meanwhile, increased to 1,577,267 as 9,591 new recuperations were recorded.

Three laboratories failed to submit data on time.

Metro Manila's intensive care unit (ICU) utilization is at 69 percent, while the ICU occupation rate nationwide is at 68 percent.

More details to follow.

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