Metro Manila downgraded to moderate risk status for COVID-19

SWAB AND PRAY A section of Ina ng Lupang Pangako Parish church in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City, serves as a COVID-19 antigen testing center on Wednesday through the “Swab Cab” initiative of the Office of the Vice President. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila is now classified as moderate risk from the previous high risk status for COVID-19 after recording a 67-percent decrease in new cases from the previous week, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

“Moderate risk na po ang NCR (National Capital Region) kahapon pa… Bumaba na po nang husto ang ating mga kaso at dumating na tayo sa moderate risk classification,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a Palace press briefing.

(NCR was classified moderate risk as of yesterday… The number of cases is really decreasing and we have reached the moderate risk classification.)

According to Vergeire, Metro Manila recorded an average of 4,398 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days, compared to 13,298 average new cases in the preceding week.

She said that COVID-19 cases in the NCR Plus are likewise decreasing. At present, Bulacan and Rizal are also classified as moderate risk.

However, the DOH is monitoring the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Visayas and Mindanao. Vergeire said that cases are increasing in Western and Central Visayas and in Davao Region.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said that the rise of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila have already peaked. A decline in the number of new cases is expected after the infections have reached its peak.

Metro Manila currently has 49,283 active cases of COVID-19, including 2,270 new cases on Thursday. The entire country, meanwhile, has 226,521 active cases of the respiratory disease, including 18,191 additional infections.

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