THE average daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines stayed below 400, based on the latest report of the Department of Health (DOH).
Based on the latest COVID-19 Case Bulletin, there was an average of 359 cases daily, or a total of 2,510 cases, for the period of July 3 to 9.
This is 9 percent lower than cases reported from June 26 to July 2, which was at an average of 392 cases daily.
The DOH said there were 44 additional severe and critical cases during the past week, pushing the number of severe and critical cases to 382 as of July 9.
There were no deaths reported over the past seven days.
Of the total severe and critical cases, the DOH bulletin showed that 244 of them are occupying ICU beds, which is 12.3 percent of the 1,984 total nationwide.
On the other hand, there are 3,001 patients occupying COVID-19 beds, or 17.4 percent of the 17,233 total COVID-19 beds allocated nationwide.
Meanwhile, the independent OCTA Research group yesterday reported 15 provinces in the country have recorded higher COVID-19 positivity rates from July 1 to 8.
The OCTA said the provinces of Camarines Sur (14.5 percent to 20.2 percent), Aklan (27.3 percent to 35.3 percent), and South Cotabato (16.1 percent to 21.4 percent) saw increases in their “high” positivity rates.
Also with higher “moderate” positivity rates are Batangas (5.6 percent to 5.7 percent), Benguet (15.4 percent to 15.5 percent), Laguna (5 percent to 5.9 percent), Oriental Mindoro (5.3 percent to 17.6 percent), Palawan (13.3 percent to 15.3 percent), Pampanga (14.2 percent to 14.5 percent), Pangasinan (15.4 percent to 15.7 percent), Quezon (5.8 percent to 8.3 percent), Rizal (4.7 percent to 8.5 percent), Zambales (6 percent to 7.8 percent), and Negros Occidental (5.6 percent to 7.9 percent).
Cebu also saw an increase in its “low” positivity rate, from 3.9 percent to 4.5 percent.
On the other hand, the National Capital Region (NCR) and 13 provinces saw their positivity rates drop over the past week.
Provinces which saw their positivity rates drop were Bataan (20.3 percent to 17 percent), Cagayan (15.3 percent to 12.2 percent), Isabela (29.4 percent to 15.8 percent), La Union (9.7 percent to 6.6 percent), Tarlac (15.5 percent to 11.8 percent), Agusan del Norte (17.3 percent to 13 percent), and Zamboanga del Sur (7.1 percent to 5.6 percent).
The provinces of Davao del Sur (3.3 percent to 2.4 percent), Iloilo (5.4 percent to 4.3 percent), Leyte (4.6 percent to 2.3 percent), Misamis Oriental (5 percent to 4.2 percent), Bulacan (5.3 percent to 4.8 percent), and Cavite (6.6 percent to 4.8 percent), as well as Metro Manila (4.8 percent to 4.2 percent), meanwhile, saw their low positivity rates decline.
Positivity rate is the percentage of people who test positive for the virus out of the overall number of those who have been tested.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the threshold for positivity rate for COVID-19 at 5 percent, which means the transmission is under control.
