FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (greenish brown) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (pink), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.
MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 risk levels in the cities of Bacolod, Cebu, and Mandaue have improved to high risk from the previous very high-risk status, independent analytics group OCTA Research said Friday.
Based on data shared by OCTA Research fellow Guido David on Twitter for highly-urbanized cities (HUCs) in Visayas, the three localities now join LapuLapu, Ormoc, and Tacloban at the high-risk status.
However, Iloilo City remains at a very high-risk classification.
Bacolod, Cebu City, Lapu Lapu, Mandaue, Ormoc and Tacloban at high risk while Iloilo City still at very high risk as of Feb 3. Downtrends observed in all HUCs. Strict compliance with health protocols advised. @dzbb @allangatus @cebugovph @DZAR1026 @ali_sotto @dzrhnews @News5PH pic.twitter.com/5Aj4sEFUvY
— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) February 4, 2022
According to OCTA Research’s data obtained from the Department of Health (DOH), Bacolod recorded a -36 percent one-week growth rate; Cebu City, -46 percent; Iloilo City, -35 percent; Lapu-Lapu, -49 percent; Mandaue, -53 percent; Ormoc, -40 percent; and Tacloban, -63 percent.
Only Iloilo City has a healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) that was classified as high risk at 71 percent. The HCUR in the remaining six cities was either at low or moderate risk.
The risk levels presented by David on Friday showed an improvement from data he reported on February 1, when Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Mandaue were at very high risk and LapuLapu, Ormoc, and Tacloban were at high risk.
David earlier said that COVID-19 cases are on a downward trend in the seven Visayas HUCs.
READ: COVID-19 cases on downward trend in 7 Visayas HUCs — OCTA Research
Meanwhile, the DOH also noted that a “slow decline” in new COVID-19 cases has been observed in the Visayas.
READ: Philippines reverts to moderate risk status for COVID-19
The risk levels being used by OCTA Research are based on US nonprofit COVID Act Now and are different from the metrics being used by the DOH.
The country has 153,335 active COVID-19 cases, including additional 8,702 infections, as of Thursday, February 3.
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