The Department of Health (DOH) has identified Caraga, Western Visayas, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen as high-risk areas for COVID-19 amid increasing cases.
Dr. Alethea De Guzman, DOH Epidemiology Bureau officer-in-charge and director, said this is due to an increasing average daily attack rate (ADAR) and two-week growth rate (2WGR) of the said regions.
At least 33 priority areas are currently being monitored in the country due to risk classification ang high healthcare utilization.
The intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rate of Regions 2, 6, 10, 11, and 12 are currently under high to critical risk. Authorities are also monitoring Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, Misamis Occidental, Oriental Mindoro, and Benguet.
Meanwhile, the latest OCTA Research monitoring report showed that the average daily nationwide COVID-19 cases between June 15 to 21 decreased by 8% or to 6,027 from the 6,578 figure between June 8 to 14.
OCTA said the reproduction number in the Philippines over the same period was 0.95 which is below 1, or the World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark.
“There has been an improvement naman in the national numbers kasi last week we’re averaging more than 6,000 cases and now we’re averaging mga 5,700 cases… And that’s because nag-improve na rin ‘yung situation sa Visayas and Mindanao except for a few LGUs,” OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said.
On June 22, the country reported the lowest figures in one month at 3,666 COVID-19 cases. The DOH, however, said this is due to low laboratory output last June 20.
OCTA has identified Davao City, Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan De Oro, and Tacloban as areas of concern, while NCR is expected to hit pre-surge 500 daily cases “within a few weeks.” – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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