SEVEN provinces are now seeing “high” positivity rates for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at over 10 percent, while the National Capital Region (NCR) is already on the brink of also reaching double digits.
The independent OCTA Research yesterday said that based on the July 5 positivity rates of Antique (20.6%), Laguna (17.3%), Rizal (16.5%), Pampanga (15%), Cavite (13.2%), Batangas (10.7%), and Iloilo (10.1%), they are already at high-risk classification.
OCTA said Metro Manila is already at “moderate” risk classification, with a positivity rate of 9.8 percent as of July 5, which is higher than the July 2 positivity rate of 8.3 percent.
Also at moderate risk classification are Isabela (8.3%), Pangasinan (8%), Benguet (6.7%), Bataan (6.2%), Davao del Sur (5.8%), and Bulacan (5.6%).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a 5 percent threshold for positivity rate of COVID-19.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire yesterday said the BA.5 is now the most common Omicron subvariant in the Philippines, with over 200 cases detected via genome sequencing.
There are already a total of 233 cases of the BA.5 subvariant.
“As we have seen in the samples we have sequenced these past weeks, BA.5 is the most detected one,” said Vergeire.
On Thursday, the Department of Health reported that 140 newly detected BA.5 subvariant cases during the last genome sequencing run.
Last Tuesday, the DOH announced that 43 new BA.5 cases were detected.
The figure rose to 140 on Thursday after the agency reclassified 97 cases formerly identified to be from ‘other sublineages.’
Of the 140 newly detected BA.5 cases, 99 are from Western Visayas, 21 from Metro Manila, 7 from Calabarzon, 5 from Ilocos Region; 1 each from Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Mimaropa, and Cordillera Administrative Region; and 1 Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF).
Records show that 16 were fully vaccinated, three were unvaccinated, and 121 still have their status undergoing verification.
The DOH also noted that four are still in isolation, 129 were asymptomatic and have recovered, while seven are still having their outcomes being verified.
Vergeire said the high number of BA.5 Omicron subvariant cases does not automatically make it as the dominant lineage in the country.
“Not all COVID-19 positive cases are subjected to genome sequencing. This means we cannot see the complete picture for the whole country,” said Vergeire.
To date, there are a total of 70 cases of the BA.2.12.1 subvariant detected in the Philippines.
Also, the current total of the BA.4 subvariant cases detected in the country is now at 10.
‘TRAFFIC LIGHT’ APPROACH
Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said a group composed of private sector representatives and medical, data and economic experts believe that the use of the “traffic light approach” would be ideal in determining the COVID alert level systems for regions, provinces, cities and municipalities.
“The task of this process is to lay down the parameters of a transition strategy for a better normal, one that encourages economic activity and does not risk the public’s health,” Concepcion said. “The most important thing for our business leaders right now is to not lock down. We cannot lock down anymore as rising prices are a big issue for all manufacturers. We don’t want consumers to slow down their spending. This is not good for the economy.”
Business leaders present during the initial meeting convened by Concepcion were George Barcelon, Michael Tan, Felix Ang and Cecilio Pedro, while members of the newly formed Advisory Council of Experts (ACE) provided the technical and medical expert advice.
Among the groups included in the consultation process are the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Phil. Franchise Association, Phil. Retailers Association, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce, Resto.PH, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, People Management Association of the Philippines, and the Association of Filipino Franchisers.
Concepcion said that details of the recommendations, once the consultations with the different industry chambers and the private sector are completed, will be shared with President Marcos Jr.
Concepcion said that foremost among the suggestions at the initial meeting is simplifying the alert level systems by adopting a color-coded, traffic light approach, or a red-yellow-green to mean high-medium-low alert levels.
“This system is already familiar to the public,” said Concepcion, adding that the system is used in disaster risk management.
As for the parameters used for the alert level system, the group recommended the use of two metrics: healthcare utilization rates (HCUR), or the number of cases hospitalized due to COVID, and ADAR (average daily attack rate), or the number of infections per thousand people. Moreover, the red-yellow-green alert levels will be determined per region, and will trigger specific restrictions for activity, including the wearing of face masks, but also on the regional level.
“We believe that the LGU should play a bigger role in pandemic management moving forward,” he said.
PHAPI
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc (PHAPI) yesterday assured that its members are ready to admit patients when cases peak later this month.
In a televised public briefing, PHAPI President Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said: “Our hospitals are always prepared as our COVID areas weren’t closed down. They are always ready in case there are those that need admission due to COVID.”
As to possible shortage in healthcare personnel attending to COVID-19 patients, De Grano said they are ready to tap other healthcare workers.
“If we reach the point where patients are overwhelming, we will be tapping our personnel in non-COVID areas,” added de Grano.
Earlier, the independent OCTA Research said cases in Metro Manila may peak sometime during the first or second week of July.
Similarly, the DOH said Metro Manila cases could peak by the middle or end of July.
