Philippines ‘low risk’ for COVID-19; NCR, CAR ‘moderate’, says DOH

The Philippines remained at “low risk” classification for COVID-19, while the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are currently at “moderate risk,” the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday.

At the press briefing, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said at least 25,967 cases from July 29 to August 4.

“Patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga kaso na naga-average na ng 3,710 cases per day in the recent week. Mas mataas po ito ng 16% mula noong nakaraang linggo at tinatayang nasa same level ng cases nung second week of February this year,” Vergeire said.

(The increase in cases continues with an average of 3,710 cases per day in the recent week. This is 16% higher than last week and is estimated to be at the same level of cases in the second week of February this year.)

“Nationally, nanatili tayong nasa (we remain at) low risk case classification na may daily average attack rate (ADAR) na 3.13 cases per 100,000 population,” she added.

Vergeire said CAR is currently at “moderate risk” case classification for COVID-19 with ADAR of 6.10 cases per 100,000 population.

Meanwhile, she said the NCR, also at “moderate risk” has an ADAR of 8.67 cases per 100,000 population.

ADAR pertains to the incidence showing the average number of new cases in a period per 100,000 people.

Vergeire said the other regions remained at low risk classification.

She said the number of severe and critical admissions remains less than 1,000 cases nationally.

The DOH OIC, however, said a continued slow increase has been observed since early of July 2022.

“Sa kasalukuyan, 14.9% sa total admissions ang binubuo ng asymptomatic patients, habang 42.14% naman ang mild. Nanatiling mababa ang national admissions ngunit nagtatala ng slow inclined nitong nakaraang linggo,” she said.

(Currently, 14.9% of total admissions are made up of asymptomatic patients, while 42.14% are mild cases. National admissions remained low but recorded a slow incline this past week.)

“Samantala, bumaba ang dedicated ICU beds ng 167 or by 6% mula noong nakaraang linggo,” she added.

(Meanwhile, dedicated ICU beds decreased by 167 or by 6% from last week.) —NB, GMA News