DOH: COVID-19 patients in NCR 60% less likely to be hospitalized

MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 patients in Metro Manila are 60 percent less likely to be hospitalized compared to patients outside the region amid its high vaccination rate, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

“Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga kasong naitala sa National Capital Region ay mayroong 60 percent less chances of hospitalization, kumpara sa mga kaso sa ibang parte ng bansa. Ito ay higit na totoo sa nagdaang holiday season,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing.

(At present, cases recorded in Metro Manila have a 60-percent less chance for hospitalization, compared to cases in other parts of the country. This is more evident in the recent holiday season.)

According to Vergeire, decoupling, or a situation when the increase in cases does not translate to an increase in the proportion of severe and critical cases, is currently being observed in Metro Manila.

She added that in Metro Manila, the DOH has observed a lower percentage of severe and critical cases, but the number of mild and asymptomatic cases is increasing.

Over 10 million individuals or 106 percent of Metro Manila’s target for population protection have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos on Thursday. While vaccines do not offer complete protection against infection, health experts said that they can prevent the vaccinated from developing the severe form of the disease.

Dr. John Wong, the founder of health research institution Epimetrics Inc. and a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force’s sub-technical working group on data analytics, said that vaccination is protecting Metro Manila from having high hospitalization rates.

“What we are seeing in the NCR (National Capital Region) is that compared to during the Delta surge, we have 24 percent fewer hospitalizations, and compared to non-NCR regions, we have about 60 percent fewer hospitalizations,” said Wong.

“The difference is that back in July and September during the Delta surge, and compared to non-NCR regions, the NCR has much higher vaccination rate. I think… 75 percent now, compared to 35 percent in non-NCR regions,” he added.

“In both accounts, vaccination is protecting the NCR from high hospitalization rates. We need to do the same thing for other regions. Before the surge arrives there, vaccinate them to a higher level of protection especially for the elderly,” Wong further said.

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