The Philippines remains at very low risk for COVID-19 with a lower daily average cases of 527 compared with last week’s figures, according to OCTA Research Group.
The country also has a 0.47 average daily attack rate or incidence of positive cases per hundred thousand population.
Asian countries such as East Timor, Taiwan, Cambodia, and China are also under the very low risk COVID-19 classification. However, China is also experiencing a resurgence of cases, together with South Korea, Vietnam, Laos with positive one-week growth rates.
Philippines remained at very low risk as of March 18 with an ADAR of 0.47. Timor-Leste, Taiwan, Cambodia and China also at very low risk. Surge in cases happening in South Korea, Vietnam, China and Laos. @dzbb @dzrhnews @allangatus @DZAR1026 @News5PH @NewsRmn @dwiz882 @ali_sotto pic.twitter.com/RD2ulRmRLP
— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) March 20, 2022
According to infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña, the further easing of restrictions must not be rushed, as the COVID-19 surge being experienced in Asian countries might also happen in the Philippines.
“Sa ngayon I think kabado rin lahat kasi nakita natin halos 200,000 cases per day sa Vietnam, umabot ng 600,000 sa South Korea in a day,” he said in the March 21 Laging Handa briefing.
“There’s a lot of uncertainties, and right now, suwerte pa rin tayo mababa pa rin ‘yung cases natin. But this can change, lalo na ‘pag masyado natin mabilis i-decrease ang restriction,” he added.
Salvaña noted the country’s high vaccination rate which can help prevent case resurgence, but said that vaccine efficacy against infection declined from 90% to just around 30% to 40%.
“‘Yung herd immunity that people think about, na hindi na mahahawa, hindi po ‘yun achievable with the current vaccines that we have,” he said.
“Ang important is that ‘yung epekto ng any of these outbreaks katulad ng nakita natin sa Omicron is really tempered by the level of vaccination to the point na ‘yung mga mamamatay ay nasa level na lang ng nakikita natin sa trangkaso,” he added.
Metro Manila cases
Based on OCTA data, the decline in the number of reported cases in the National Capital Region has slowed down, with a -4% growth between March 14 to 20, down from the -23% in the previous week. The reproduction number or rate of transmission also rose.
Philippines remained at very low risk as of March 18 with an ADAR of 0.47. Timor-Leste, Taiwan, Cambodia and China also at very low risk. Surge in cases happening in South Korea, Vietnam, China and Laos. @dzbb @dzrhnews @allangatus @DZAR1026 @News5PH @NewsRmn @dwiz882 @ali_sotto pic.twitter.com/RD2ulRmRLP
— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) March 20, 2022
-Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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