The President of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino, says the death toll from Friday’s typhoon may be lower than first thought.
In an interview with CNN, he said the number of 10,000 killed was “too high” and the figure was more likely up to 2,500.
The UN says more than 11 million people are believed to have been affected and some 673,000 displaced.
The relief operation is being stepped up, but many are still without aid.
The earlier figure of 10,000 feared killed came from a police officer and local official and may have arisen from the “emotional trauma” of being at the centre of the disaster, Mr Aquino said.
He said 29 municipalities had yet to be contacted to establish the number of victims there.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has put the official death toll at 1,798, as of 22:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Tuesday. The number of injured stands at 2,582 with 82 listed as missing.
