The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country rose to 552,246 on Tuesday after the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 1,391 new cases.
The DOH Feb.16 case bulletin also showed 45 new recoveries bringing the total recoveries to 511,796.
Seven new deaths were also recorded which means that there are now a total of 11,524 fatalities due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the DOH - Epidemiology Bureau (EB) identified the eight cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) which continue to see growth in COVID-19 cases.
In a virtual forum, DOH - Epidemiology Bureau (EB) acting head Dr Alethea de Guzman said these are Valenzuela, Pasay, Malabon, Pasig, Makati, Navotas, Las Pinas, and Manila.
The DOH said three other regions also continue to see growth in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks namely; Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.
De Guzman said the continued increase can be attributed to "people attending gatherings, especially during the holidays, in these areas,"
In other regions, she said, they observed that the cases are “plateauing.”
“What we see - if not a decrease in cases - is the plateauing of cases in other regions. This means that the number of cases being reported (daily) is the same,” said De Guzman.
The DOH official, meantime, said that there are still 3 active cases among the 44 UK variant patients in the country.
De Guzman said the three cases were found to be one returning overseas Filipino from the United Arab Emirates, one from Mt. Province, and one from Bukidnon.
"They remain in isolation and are just completing the required number of days," she said.
De Guzman added that the 40 other cases have already been tagged as recovered, while one patient died.