The Department of Health (DOH) said that the Philippines can now be considered as ‘low risk’ in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases.
DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea De Guzman said that the country’s growth rate of the virus nationwide has been at -9 percent, while the average daily attack rate from June 13 to 26 was only at 5.42 in the last two weeks.
“The risk classification nationally is already at low risk,” De Guzman said in a virtual press conference.
The DOH also asserted that areas in the National Capital Region or NCR are also showing low number of COVID-19 cases in the recent weeks.
“NCR is not the one contributing cases. It’s areas outside NCR taking up a largest portion of new cases,” De Guzman said.
The NCR growth rate is at -26 percent in the past two weeks while hospitalization utilization rate is now at 37.73 percent.
The DOH considers Laguna, Davao Region, Western Visayas, Soccsksargen and Eastern Visayas as high-risk areas.
The health official is also looking into the reason why Laguna is the only area in the NCR Plus area that is not showing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.
De Guzman said that despite improving numbers, the country cannot be complacent yet due to the COVID-19 variant.
