CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Central Luzon coronavirus cases have now breached the 7, 000-mark with some 7,391 cases recorded as of September 8, according to a bulletin by the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon.

The number of cases may even reach 8,000 just before the end of the week as more cases are recorded in different provinces of the region. Of the seven provinces under Central Luzon, Bulacan has the most number of cases with 3,577. Some 1,651 have already recovered while 81 have died.

Pampanga is second in the number of confirmed cases in the region at 1,464, mortalities at 37, with at least 149 having recovered from the virus, according to the DOH report.

Bataan province is close at third with 1,094 confirmed cases, 302 recoveries and 18 mortalities. Meanwhile, Zambales province is experiencing a spike in cases with 531 confirmed and seven deaths. Nueva Ecija province had also recorded 417 cases with at least 18 people dead due to the virus. Tarlac currently has the lowest number of cases with 224 and 13 deaths.

The DOH still reports zero coronavirus cases in Aurora provinces despite conflicting reports from national and local news outfits regarding a couple of confirmed cases, including an eight-month-old baby from San Luis town.

Of some 7,391 cases, the DOH claims 2,451 have already recovered. Some 3,679 have already been released to complete 14-day quarantine while 1,081 are still admitted to various hospitals and facilities.

A total of 180 have already died in the entire region due to the virus.