MANILA — Health care workers infected with COVID-19 in the Philippines has reached 7,006, according to the latest Department of Health (DOH) report.

The DOH COVID-19 Situationer Report on Monday also logged 6,448 recovered health workers while the number of fatalities remained at 40. This brings the number of active cases or those still infected with COVID-19 to 518.

This does not include the Philippine General Hospital doctor who died after battling the coronavirus disease for more than a month.

• READ: 'I will always love you:' Doctor grieves specialist-wife who lost long battle against COVID-19

According to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, which analyzed the August 30 data, the 40th health worker death logged on August 26 was a nursing assistant.

The DOH earlier said their raw data shows a total of 53 health worker deaths, but they are still validating the 22 other cases. The initial 31 fatalities already had compensation checks delivered to their families.

• READ: DOH evaluating 22 other health workers' deaths for P1 million compensation

With 217,373 total confirmed cases as of August 30, health workers comprise 3 percent of the total patients in the Philippines. The percentage has gone down as fewer health workers were being infected as cases among the general public continued to increase.

Of the 7,006 infected health workers, there are 2,401 nurses, 1,433 doctors, 484 nursing assistants, 304 medical technologists, 144 midwives, 138 radiologic technologists, 68 pharmacists, and 57 respiratory therapists. There are also other medical professions and non-medical staff working in health facilities.

Asked why there are more deaths among doctors (26) than nurses (6) when more nurses are infected, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said last week it might be more of a factor of their pre-existing conditions. She said all of the doctors who died had comorbidities such as heart and kidney ailments.