MANILA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the COVID-19 in the Philippines climbed to 247 on Saturday after the Department of Heath (DOH) reported that 26 COVID-19 patients have succumbed to the viral disease.

The DOH also reported 233 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 4,428.

The number of recoveries, meanwhile, increased to 157 with 17 new patients recovered.

The DOH issued on Saturday a statement following a social media report alleging that the DOH instructed a major hospital in Metro Manila to stop counting COVID-19 deaths.

"We would like to clarify that DOH has never issued an order to stop the census or reporting of deaths, or any cases related to COVID-19 to any health facility," the DOH statement said.