Philippines' Covid-19 total nears dreaded 1 million mark as its navy continue maritime drills in South China Sea

In this undated handout photo received from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on April 25, 2021, coast guard personnel conduct maritime exercise near Thitu island in the disputed South China sea. - AFP

MANILA, April 25 (Xinhua/Bloomberg): The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported on Sunday 8,162 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 997,523.

The death toll climbed to 16,783 after 109 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.