NCR placed under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from March 1 to March 15

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved placing the National Capital Region under a COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from March 1, 2022 until March 15, 2022, GMA News' Ivan Mayrina reported on Sunday.

Last Thursday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the National Capital Region (NCR) was ready to deescalate to an Alert Level 1 given its current metrics.

Duque noted that 83% of the NCR’s senior citizens had been vaccinated, while over 100% of its target population were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

OCTA Research on Tuesday also reported that the positivity rate in the NCR had decreased to 4.9%, lower than the recommended 5% of the World Health Organization.

According to OCTA, this is the first time the positivity rate in the NCR decreased to less than 5% since December 26, 2021 prior to the COVID-19 surge caused by the more transmissible Omicron variant.

NCR also remained at "low risk" classification for COVID-19 with an average daily attack rate (ADAR) of 2.85 and a reproduction number of 2.85, it added.

Areas under Alert 1, Alert 2

In a statement, acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said the IATF also approved placing the following areas under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15:

Luzon

•    Abra
•    Apayao
•    Baguio City
•    Kalinga
•    Dagupan City
•    Ilocos Norte
•    Ilocos Sur
•    La Union
•    Pangasinan
•    Batanes
•    Cagayan
•    City of Santiago, Isabela
•    Quirino
•    Angeles City
•    Aurora
•    Bataan
•    Bulacan
•    Olongapo City
•    Pampanga
•    Tarlac
•    Cavite
•    Laguna
•    Marinduque
•    Puerto Princesa City
•    Romblon
•    Naga City
•    Catanduanes

Visayas

•    Aklan
•    Bacolod City
•    Capiz
•    Guimaras
•    Siquijor
•    Biliran

Mindanao

•    Zamboanga City
•    Cagayan de Oro City
•    Camiguin
•    Davao City

Meanwhile, the IATF placed the following areas under Alert Level 2 from March 1 to 15:

Luzon

•    Benguet
•    Ifugao
•    Mountain Province
•    Nueva Vizcaya
•    Nueva Ecija
•    Zambales
•    Batangas
•    Lucena City
•    Quezon Province
•    Rizal
•    Occidental Mindoro
•    Oriental Mindoro
•    Palawan
•    Albay
•    Camarines Norte
•    Camarines Sur
•    Masbate
•    Sorsogon

Visayas

•    Antique
•    Iloilo City
•    Iloilo Province
•    Negros Occidental
•    Bohol
•    Cebu Province
•    Cebu City
•    Lapu-Lapu City
•    Mandaue City
•    Negros Oriental
•    Eastern Samar
•    Leyte
•    Northern Samar
•    Ormoc City
•    Southern Leyte
•    Tacloban City
•    Western Samar

Mindanao

•    City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Sur
•    Zamboanga del Norte
•    Zamboanga Sibugay
•    Bukidnon
•    Iligan City
•    Lanao del Norte
•    Misamis Occidental
•    Misamis Oriental
•    Davao De Oro
•    Davao Del Sur
•    Davao Del Norte
•    Davao Oriental
•    Davao Occidental
•    General Santos City
•    North Cotabato
•    Sarangani
•    South Cotabato
•    Sultan Kudarat
•    Surigao del Norte
•    Surigao del Sur
•    Agusan del Norte
•    Agusan del Sur
•    Butuan City
•    Dinagat Islands
•    Basilan
•    Maguindanao
•    Sulu
•    Tawi-Tawi
•    Cotabato City
•    Lanao Del Sur

— DVM, GMA News