PH COVID-19 cases in steady rise; regions outpace NCR Plus — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The country has reported a steady increase in average daily COVID-19 cases last week, higher than the weekly average during the past few weeks with the regions contributing to the rise, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Tuesday.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Aletheia de Guzman reported that the country has reported a weekly average of 6,609 cases from June 7-13, higher than the cases during the past few weeks.

There were 6,558 cases from May 31 to June 6; 6,278 cases from May 24 to 30; and cases 5,342 from May 17 to 23.

This, however, is still far from the peak of weekly cases during April 9 to 15, when an average of 10,845 cases was reported.

“Of course we have significantly declined from 10,845 pero ito yung sinasabi natin na we even need to be more vigilant kasi malayo pa tayo doon sa pre-surge levels natin,” De Guzman said in an online briefing, referring to a weekly pre-surge average of 2,000 cases.

(Of course, we have significantly declined from 10,845 but this is what we are saying that we even need to be more vigilant because we are still far from the pre-surge levels.)

De Guzman noted that the reported cases from the Visayas and Mindanao, along with the rest of Luzon, are higher than from the NCR Plus — consisting of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal— in recent weeks, although the bubble exhibited a “very slow” decline. Overall, the country is classified as having a “moderate” risk.

The cases in NCR (National Capital Region) are in decline with 833 cases from June 7-13 compared to 997 reported cases from May 31 to June 6; 1,122 from May 24 to 30; and 1,136 from May 17-23.

The NCR, which is now classified as a “low risk” area, had a peak weekly case average of 5,535 from March 29 to April 4.

De Guzman has not presented a weekly case average from Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, but noted that all areas are now considered as “low” risk, with an exception of Laguna which is classified as a “moderate risk” area.

Meanwhile, Region 2, Caraga, and Region 6 are classified as “high risk” areas.

Regions 9, 4A, and 4B are classified as “low risk” regions, while the rest of the country is classified as “moderate risk.”

READ: COVID-19 cases plateauing, but attack rate up in parts of Visayas, Mindanao

/MUF