New COVID cases rising but hospital use still low — OCTA
THE reproduction rate of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the National Capital Region (NCR) has climbed to 1.24 and is now classified as high risk, according to the independent OCTA Research.
In a social media post, OCTA fellow Guido David said the risk classification of Metro Manila in terms of the reproduction rate has climbed from moderate to high level because “NCR continued to have an uptick in new COVID-19 cases.”
David said the infection rate has increased from 1.08 to 1.24 from May 31 to June 6.
Also showing positive growth is the daily average new COVID-19 cases in the NCR, with a 10 percent increase from 78 (May 24 to 30) to 86 (May 31 to June 6, 2022).
The average daily attack rate in Metro Manila also increased from 0.55 to 0.61 but remains to be at “very low” risk classification, David said.
David said the NCR positivity rate similarly increased from 1.5 percent to 1.6 percent from an average of 9,430 tests per day but is still at “very low” risk classification.
On the overall, however, David said that NCR remains to be at “low” risk classification because of the reduction in healthcare utilization rate from 23 percent to 21 percent.
The intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rate has likewise declined from 19 percent to 18 percent.
In a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the observation of OCTA is consistent with what the Department of Health has been saying in the past.
Vergeire said they have already flagged several regions that are seeing slight uptick in COVID-19 cases for the past two weeks.
“We have been flagging these increases in cases in several parts of the country. We have also been informing the public (that) these increases are just low. They are not significant increases,” said Vergeire.
What is more important, she said, is that the hospitals and other COVID-19 facilities are not being overwhelmed by patients.
“Since April 2022, the hospitals and ICUs are not being filled up by COVID-19 patients. That is what is most important to all of us,” she said.
NEW SUBVARIANT CASES
The DOH yesterday reported 10 additional cases of the Omicron subvariants — seven additional cases of the BA.2.12.1 and three more cases of the BA.5.
In a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the new cases were detected in the latest genome sequencing run by the Philippine Genome Center.
For the additional BA.5 subvariant cases, two were traced in Calabarzon while the other one is still undergoing verification. Symptoms that manifested in the individuals are still being verified but they have all been tagged as recovered.
Vergeire said that the individual whose location is being verified is fully vaccinated, while one of those from the Calabarzon is unvaccinated and the other one is undergoing verification.
There are now a total of five cases of the BA.5 subvariant in the Philippines.
As for the additional BA.2.12.1 subvariant cases, three are from Metro Manila, and one each from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region.
Of the, three are fully vaccinated, three are unvaccinated, and one is undergoing verification.
“The other data, such as their health status and their respective outcome are still being verified,” said Vergeire.
A total of 29 cases of the BA.2.12.1 subvariant have now been detected in the country.
Despite the continued detection of Omicron subvariant cases, the health department said it cannot declare yet if there is already a local transmission of the BA.5 sublineage.
The DOH has already declared a local transmission of the BA.2.12.1.
PROTOCOLS
Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases over the weekend allowed 100 percent operating capacity in indoor establishments and public transportation in areas under Alert Level 1, provided that all customers and passengers are fully vaccinated.
Communications Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said the decision was contained in the amended Guidelines on the Nationwide Implementation of Alert Level Systems for COVID-19 issued on June 4.
“The government pandemic task force recognizes the need to further identify the establishments and/or activities which are allowed to operate or be undertaken in Alert Level 1. Having said this, IATF allowed full 100 percent capacity under Alert Level 1, subject to presentation of proof of full vaccination before participating in mass gatherings or entry into indoor establishments,” Andanar said in a press briefing.
Under the latest guidelines, all private offices and workplaces, including construction sites, may operate at 100 percent full capacity, provided that they follow the vaccination requirements for on-site work, or continue to observe flexible and alternative work arrangements.
Government agencies and instrumentalities should adhere to a 100 percent on-site workforce while off-site work should be undertaken under work arrangements that are subject to relevant rules and regulations issued by the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the President.
Public transportation operating in areas under Alert Level 1, including aviation, maritime and rail public transport, are also allowed to operate at full seating capacity while the use of acrylic and/or plastic dividers and the use of the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) are no longer required.
For intrazonal and interzonal travels involving public land transportation between an area with a higher alert level classification and an area under Alert Level 1, the passenger capacity shall be that which has the lower passenger capacity rate between the point of origin and point of destination. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
