Construction workers turn containers into makeshift hospitals for COVID-19 patients in Manila, Philippines. Photo: Xinhua

The Philippine health department on Wednesday reported that 279 more people have contracted the COVID-19, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 13,221.

In a daily bulletin, the Department of Health (DOH) said 89 more patients have recovered from the disease, bringing the number of recoveries to 2,932. It added that five more patients have died from the COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 842.

The DOH said 150 cases or 54 percent of the daily cases were reported in Metro Manila, 115 cases or 41 percent were reported from other parts of the country, and 14 cases or 5 percent in the Central Visayas region in the central Philippines.

"We are doing everything to flatten the coronavirus curve so that we can further strengthen our health capacity," Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a virtual senate hearing on Wednesday to assess the government's response to combat the disease.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appealed anew to the people to heed the government's call to stay at home and maintain physical distance even after the country eased some of the lockdown rules to allow some people to work.