The Philippines reported fresh 1,901 corona cases on friday, bringing the country's total tally to 557,058. According to the Department of Health (DOH) of the South Asian country,  The death toll rose to 11,829 after 157 more patients died from the coronavirus epidemic, the DOH said. It added that 537 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 512,789.

The nation has tested over 7.95 million people since the viral disease emerged in January last year. Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Friday said that the Philippines has detected the COVID-19 virus "mutations of potential clinical significance" in samples sequenced last week from the Central Visayas region.

Duque told an online news briefing that health officials have intensified the region's containment measures to prevent transmission. The DOH has noted a "steep increase" in the number of corona cases in the central Philippine region. Despite the sharp rise in infections, it said the region's healthcare utilization rate "remains at the safe zone."

In a statement, The DOH said that viruses naturally undergo mutations as they reproduce. it said,  "These mutations accumulate over time and may have varying effects. However, not all mutations and variants necessarily cause ill effects."

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