AMID the looming threat of the Omicron variant, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said 12 of the 17 regions in the Philippines are at “minimal” risk classification from coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In a virtual press briefing, DOH – Epidemiology Bureau (EB) Director Alethea de Guzman reported that only five regions are at “low” risk classification, which is similar to the national risk classification.
“The Philippines is still at low risk classification because we were able to maintain our negative two-week growth rate, which is now at negative 45, and we have an ADAR (average daily attack rate) of 1.02 per 100,000 population,” said De Guzman.
“All regions are currently at minimal to low-risk case classifications,” she added.
The five regions that are still at low-risk classifications are Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, National Capital Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Mimaropa.
The remaining 12 regions are already at minimal risk classifications as their two-week growth rates and ADARs are also at minimal risk levels.
The DOH also noted how areas placed under Alert Levels 3 and 4 have shown improvement.
It said that except for Apayao, all the 12 areas under Alert Level 3 are now at low-risk classification. Apayao is under moderate-risk classification.
Other areas under Alert Level 3 are Baguio City, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Batanes, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Siquijor, City of Isabela, Zamboanga City, Dinagat Islands, and Sulu.
On the other hand, the lone area under Alert Level 4, which is Catanduanes, is also now at low-risk classification.
The DOH said 116 (96 percent) of the country’s areas are now under Alert Level 2, with minimal to low risk case classification.
