THE Department of Health (DOH) said Patients 126 and 129 died from Covid-19 Tuesday, March 17, bringing the death toll in the Philippines from the disease to 14.

PH126 was a 76-year-old Filipino male who also had Type 2 diabetes and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

He died Tuesday afternoon from acute respiratory distress syndrome and severe pneumonia at the Adventist Medical Center in Manila.

He was brought to the hospital on March 9 and was diagnosed with Covid-19 on March 15.

PH129 was also a Filipino male, 67, and hypertensive.

He expired also on Tuesday at the Philippine Lung Center of the Philippines from ARDS secondary to Covid-19 and community-acquired pneumonia.

As of Tuesday, the number of Covid-19 cases in the country has risen to 187. Four patients have recovered while 14 had died, including PH126 and PH129.

President Rodrigo Duterte has taken drastic measures to contain the pandemic, given the country’s limited health facilities and resources.

The entire Luzon island is under an enhanced community quarantine while the entire country is under a state of public health emergency.

The President also declared the country under a state of calamity to allow access to this year’s calamity funds and the quick response funds allotted to various executive agencies (MVI/SunStar Philippines)