COVID-19 cases increase by 12% as more regions register rising infections

FILE PHOTO: A vendor at Pritil Public Market gets a free swab test amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Tondo, Manila, Philippines, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — Nationwide fresh cases of COVID-19 increased by 12 percent in the recent week as more regions see positive growth rates of coronavirus infections, data from the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday showed.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH recorded an average of 5,666 new COVID-19 cases from July 16 to 22, higher than the 5,040 average daily cases from July 9 to 15.

The rise of new cases in the recent week was a reversal from the decline of national cases in the previous weeks. According to DOH, an average of 5,329 cases were reported from July 2 to 8, and 5,732 from June 25 to July 1.

The country saw its peak of COVID-19 infections from April 9 to 15 when an average of 10,845 cases was recorded.

“National cases increased in the recent week,” Vergeire said in an online press briefing but stressed that the country remains at a low-risk classification for COVID-19 case trend even with the confirmation of the local transmission of the coronavirus Delta variant.

“Nationally, risk classification continues to be at low risk with ADAR (average daily attack rate) continuing to decrease in the recent week. However, more regions are experiencing a trend reversal to a positive two-week growth rate,” she added.

Vergeire said 11 of the 17 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila have shown a positive two-week growth rate, which means that cases have increased in the previous two weeks. She did not specify these 11 local government units.

“There is a need to identify the causes for this increase in cases in these local governments to preserve the gains achieved in the past two months,” the health official stated.

Metro Manila, rest of Luzon

COVID-19 cases likewise increased in Metro Manila. According to DOH’s latest data, the capital region logged 797 average daily cases from July 16 to 22, a 28 percent increase from the 618 average daily cases it registered from July 9 to 15.

The case trend in the NCR Plus is also presenting an increase in the recent week after showing a slow decline in the previous weeks. According to Vergeire, case increases were seen in Cavite and Bulacan while cases in Laguna and Rizal were plateauing.

An upward trend of cases was likewise observed in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon while a downward trend was noted in Bicol Region. Cases were likewise levelling in Ilocos Region, Mimaropa, and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Visayas and Mindanao

According to Vergeire, a “steep rise” in infections was observed in Central Visayas while Eastern Visayas was showing a slow decline of coronavirus cases. Western Visayas, on the other hand, has a plateauing case trend.

In Mindanao, authorities were seeing a rapid rise in infections in  Northern Mindanao as a growing number of cases was also noted in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. A downward trend was, however, observed in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao Region while there was a levelling of cases in Soccsksargen.

Vergeire said the detection of variants of concern may be related to the “case spikes.”

“We need to continually strengthen border control versus continuous travel bans given that the list of these countries with variants of concern and case spikes grow longer every day,” she also said.

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