INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 infections are projected to soar to 4,114 daily by January 15 as mobility is expected to increase this holiday season.
This was according to the Department of Health (DOH) as it noted that COVID-19 cases nationally “are at a plateau with 973 average daily cases for the week of December 16 to 22,” five percent lower than the previous week.
“With the expected increase in mobility during the holiday season, projections made by the FASSSTER team estimate daily cases in the country to reach 4,114 by January 15,” the DOH said in a statement on Friday.
“In this scenario, severe and critical admissions are expected to reach 2,252 admissions by mid-January as well,” it continued.
Severe and critical admissions make up 10.57% of total COVID-19-related admissions on December 21, while the COVID-19 bed utilization rate was at 21.73%, said the DOH.
The DOH noted that “metrics such as transmission rate, contact rate, and longer durations of infectiousness are not sole drivers of transmission” and there are other factors to consider regarding whether the rise in COVID-19 cases will happen or not.
The health agency stressed that local governments should continue immunization against COVID-19 to protect vulnerable individuals from the disease’s severe and critical effects.
The Philippines’ active COVID-19 cases are at 16,900 as of December 22.