PH back at ‘high risk’ for COVID-19

File photo taken last November, 2021 shows parents and children  at a public park in Quezon City as COVID-19 restrictions were loosened. (REUTERS)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is once again classified as “high risk” for COVID-19 amid the increase in the number of infections, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday.

DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire pointed out that there was a 222 percent growth rate when comparing cases recorded from December 6 to 19, 2021 and December 20, 2021 to January 2, 2022.

“Nationally we are now at high risk case classification from low risk case class in the previous week showing a positive two-week growth rate at 222% and a moderate risk average daily attack rate of 1.07 case for every 100,000 individuals,” Vergeire said in a press briefing.

“Cases in the recent one week also show a positive increase,” she added.

Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

Vergeire said the National Capital Region (NCR) was also classified as “high risk” for COVID-19. 

“Likewise the National Capital Region is at high risk case classification showing a high risk one-week growth rate and two-week growth rate and moderate risk average daily attack rate of 5.42 cases per every 100,000 population,” Vergeire said.

Five other regions—Regions 4-A, 3, 9, 11, and 10—also showed a positive one-week and two-week growth rate, said Vergeire.

“The rest of the regions showed positive increasing cases only in the recent one week. Healthcare utilization rate in all regions remains to be low risk,” Vergeire said.

On Sunday, the Philippines recorded 4,600 new COVID-19 cases — the most since October 24, 2021.

The new infections raised the number of active COVID-19 cases to 21,418, or almost back to the number of cases the country had in November of last year before the number of daily cases dipped below 1,000 during the holidays.

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