Philippines sees new daily record 7,103 coronavirus cases

March 19, 2021 - 4:25 PM
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An armed police officer stands by a checkpoint placed to implement a curfew in the country's capital amid rising coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, in Caloocan City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 16, 2021. (Reuters/Eloisa Lopez)

MANILA — The Philippine health ministry on Friday recorded 7,103 new coronavirus cases, the country’s biggest daily increase in infections, and 13 more deaths.

The ministry said total confirmed cases have increased to 648,066 while confirmed deaths have reached 12,900. The Philippines, its capital region in particular, is seeing a spike in new cases, including those with more transmissible variants.

—Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty