Coronavirus deaths in the Philippines breach 21,000

MANILA, Philippines — Local health authorities on Tuesday recorded 5,177 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 1,235,467.

• Active cases: 53,203 or 4.3% of the total

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• Recoveries: 6,230, pushing total to 1,161,252

• Deaths: 46, bringing total to 21,012

What's new today?

• Metro Manila and four nearby provinces will remain under General Community Quarantine with heightened restrictions for the entire June, President Rodrigo Duterte announced late Monday night. 

• Malacañang said the president also approved the extension of the ban on travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman and the United Arab Emirates until June 15. 

• The government's pandemic task force is allowing travelers from the so-called NCR Plus bubble to vacation in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until mid-June. 

• The COVAX facility will deliver 2.2 million COVID-19 shots developed by Pfizer-BioNtech to the Philippines on June 11, marking the beginning of a steady monthly supply from the global vaccine sharing initiative, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced. 

• Duterte on Monday night also announced the Philippines' commitment to donate $1 million, or around P50 million to COVAX, noting the initiative's significant contributions to the country's pandemic response.

— Bella Perez-Rubio with reports from Xave Gregorio