The death toll due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines rose to 12 on Sunday night after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed one additional case of death.

The DOH identified the fatality as Patient 12, a 56-year-old Filipino male who died of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The 12th fatality follows three deaths confirmed earlier on Sunday.

The DOH reported that Patient 12 began experiencing fever and cough on February 29 and tested positive for the disease on March 9.

Patient 12  was confined at the Makati Medical Center.

He died on Sunday evening and was reported to have preexisting asthma.

DOH data show that the latest fatality was a contact of Patients 41, 42, and 43.

Patients 41 and 43 are both linked to two other COVID-19 cases each.

As of Sunday, the total number of COVID-19  infections in the country is 140, according to the DOH./Stacy Ang