(PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
MANILA – The country’s risk classification has been reduced to “low” after logging -9 percent growth rate in terms of reported Covid-19 cases and 5.42 average daily attack rate (ADAR) for the past two weeks.
In an online media forum Thursday, Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau OIC-Director Alethea de Guzman said the figures covered June 13 to 26.
For March 30 to June 12, the country’s growth rate was 15 percent and its ADAR was 5.96.
“Though mababa siya, ito 'yung sinasabi namin na manipis eh, negative 1 hanggang around negative 10 percent. It’s very prone to sudden, it’s possible to increase, kailangan natin palakihin pa 'yung pagbaba niya (Though it’s low, this is what we say thin, negative 1 until around negative 10 percent. It’s very prone to sudden, it’s possible to increase, we need to expand the decrease),” de Guzman said.
However, there are four regions under high-risk classification – Region 11, 6, 12, and 8 – with positive two-week growth rates ranging from 7 to 9 and high-risk ADARs ranging from 7 to 9.
The average daily reported cases nationally showed a slight increase at 5,772 for June 24 to 30 compared to 5,638 for the week of June 17 to 23.
“It’s the areas outside of NCR, Region 3 and Calabarzon which are taking up a larger proportion of our new cases,” de Guzman said.
For June 30, the top five regions with the most number of new cases are Region 4A (Calabarzon) with 616 infections; NCR, 578; Region 7, 526; Region 6, 486; and Region 11, 461.
Meantime, the five top areas with the most number of new cases are Negros Oriental with 311 infections; Davao City, 309; Laguna, 238; IloIlo City, 145; and Iloilo, 130.
The reported cases in the NCR Plus areas are plateauing, as Mindanao exhibits a slow decline in cases, de Guzman added.
The rest of Luzon and the Visayas, on the other hand, showed a slight increase in cases.
About 33 priority areas have been flagged due to the increase in cases and high to critical risk healthcare utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate.
These areas are La Union, Cagayan, Bataan, Naga City, Iloilo City, Guimaras, Antique, Negros Oriental, Tacloban City, Zamboanga del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Bukidnon, Davao de Oro, Davao City, Davao del Norte, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Lucena City, Cotabato City, Baguio City, and Pateros.
The nation’s mortality data has decreased to 64 deaths per day logged for June which is lower than the 123 deaths recorded in April and 109 deaths in May.
De Guzman said the staggered decline of deaths nationwide is due to surges in other regions outside NCR. (PNA)
