The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 4,002 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines on Thursday, bringing the total to 147,526.

These cases came mostly from Metro Manila with 2,445, followed by Laguna with 319 new infections, Cebu province with 212, Rizal with 142, and Cavite with 101.

74,713 of the confirmed cases in the country are still considered as active cases.

Moreover, 1,403 patients recovered from the pandemic, bringing the total recoveries to 70,387, while the death toll already reached 2,426 with 23 new fatalities.

According to DOH the said figures were based on the data submitted by 93 out of the 100 operational laboratories in which 225 duplicate cases were removed from the total tally of infections.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised the possibility of COVID-19 vaccine in the country by the end of the year.

Russia’s Sputnik V, the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive regulatory approval, however, is yet to become available in the Philippines until April next year.