By Mark Fetalco
The Philippines is back to moderate risk classification for COVID-19, almost a month after the Department of Health (DOH) reported that the country is already at low risk.
The DOH said the country’s two-week growth rate (2WGR) increased to 1% from the -10% over the last three to four weeks. DOH data showed an average of more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases daily from July 22 to 28, compared to over 5,000 cases over the past weeks.
The average daily attack rate in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Western Visayas and Davao region is at high risk. The health department also flagged 11 cities in Metro Manila due to a positive 2WGR.
Las Piῆas and Makati also have high to critical risk intensive care units (ICU) occupancy. The DOH said the increasing cases in the country should not be attributed to a surge.
“Ayaw po namin na nagpa-panic ang ating mga kababayan. But hindi rin natin sinasabi na magiging complacent tayo. Kailangan po alam natin doble po ang ating ingat ngayon dahil alam po natin kung gaano ka-transmissible ang Delta Variant,” DOH USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
New Delta cases
Eight Delta variant carriers in the country have succumbed to the disease, three of whom were from the 97 newly detected Delta cases reported on July 29. Ninety-four have already recovered.
Out of the new cases, 88 are considered local and six are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs). Two of the ROFs are seafarers of MT Clyde and barge Claudia, currently anchored off Albay, while the other four are crew members of M/V Vega that arrived from Indonesia.
There are 216 Delta cases in the Philippines to date.
The DOH said vaccination must be strengthened to cover A2 and A3 groups amid increasing Delta cases, adding that it is also open to suggestions on two-dose vaccine administration intervals. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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