With the threat of the new Omicon COVID-19 variant, the..
Following a surge in cases brought by the more transmissible Delta variant, the Philippines is now classified as “low-risk” for COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.
“Nationally, we are at low-risk case classification with a negative two-week growth rate at negative 48 percent, and a moderate-risk average daily attack rate at 5.89 cases per every 100,000 individuals," health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Healthcare capacity is also now at moderate risk, she added. Per the agency’s data, as of October 23, bed utilization in the country’s hospitals is at 41.15 percent, mechanical ventilator utilization is at 36.65 percent, and intensive care unit utilization is at 53.15 percent.
In Metro Manila, the bed utilization rate dropped to a low-risk classification at 35.98 percent, while mechanical ventilator and ICU utilization are also classified as low-risk at 35.24 percent and 46.37 percent respectively.
In total, 11 regions in the country are classified as low-risk for COVID-19 while six are under the moderate risk classification.
The Philippines has been seeing a decline in its daily COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday, October 20, the country logged only 3,656 fresh coronavirus cases, the lowest number since July, before the Delta variant surge.
Despite the positive development, the agency warned the public against being complacent. Vergeire called to maintain observing minimum health standards as the holiday season is approaching and mobility is expected to increase.
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