DOH: All regions at low, minimal risk case classification for COVID-19

All regions in the Philippines are now at low and minimal risk case classification for COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Monday.

At a media briefing, Health Epidemiology Bureau Dir. Dr. Alethea de Guzman said the country is at low-risk case classification with an average daily attack rate (ADAR) of 1.02 per 100,000 individuals.

“Pag ang ADAR na ito ay bumaba na to under 1, tayo ay bababa na rin to a minimal risk case classification (once ADAR decreases to under 1, we will be deescalated to a minimal risk case classification),” De Guzman said.

The Philippines has a bed utilization rate of 21.85%, a mechanical ventilator utilization rate of 16.50%, and an ICU utilization rate of 26.57%.

“[M]ore than 85% ng mga hospitalized natin ngayon ay ang mga hindi pa nabakunahan ng kumpleto at ang ating mga severe and critical cases at ang ating mga deaths ay 1.75 to 2.6 times more likely to be among those unvaccinated,” she said.

(More than 85% of our severe and critical cases who are hospitalized have yet to complete their vaccination while our deaths are 1.75 to 2.6 times more likely to be among the unvaccinated group.)

De Guzman said critical cases among confirmed admissions have seemingly plateaued while severe cases have started to decline.

According to De Guzman, the country’s average daily reported cases from November 23 to November 29 decreased by 34% from the previous week to 896 cases.

“It’s already lower. ‘Yung pinakamababa nating number of cases per day na na-observe after the peak of August 2020, which was on December 27 to January 2 at 1,130 cases per day,” she said.

(It’s already lower. This is the lowest number of cases per day that is observed after the peak of August 2020, which was from December 27 to January 2 at 1,130 cases per day.)

Other regions that are at low risk are the National Capital Region (NCR), Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Mimaropa.

NCR recorded an ADAR of 1.77 with a bed utilization rate of 22.67%, a mechanical ventilator utilization rate of 19.42%, and an ICU utilization rate of 27.25%.

DOH flags 3 areas

Meanwhile, the DOH flagged the Dinagat Islands, Ilocos Norte, and South Cotabato.

Dinagat Islands recorded a positive one-week growth rate at 18.18% while Ilocos Norte and South Cotabato showed a positive two-week growth rate of 36.23% and 1.08%, respectively.

“Subalit ang mga growth rates o pagtaas ng kaso sa tatlong lugar na ito ay hindi pa natin nakikita na nagtra-translate into increases in their utilization rates,” De Guzman said.

(However, the increase in growth rates of these areas has not yet reflected the increases in their utilization rates.)

According to De Guzman, Catanduanes, Apayao, Baguio City, the Mountain Province, Ifugao, Batanes, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Siquijor, Zamboanga City, and the City of Isabela showed improvements in case data and healthcare utilization.

“Dati ang kanilang ADAR ay nasa high risk… pero sila ay bumaba na to moderate risk ADAR and, as such, low risk classification with the exception of Apayao,” she said.

(Previously, their ADARs were at high risk but they decreased to moderate risk ADAR, and as such, are at low-risk classification with the exception of Apayao.)

RT-PCR tests

Meanwhile, De Guzman urged local government units that have high testing capacities to use RT-PCR tests instead of antigen tests.

“Tayo ay nagre-rekomenda na i-shift muna natin pabalik sa RT-PCR ang ating pagte-test. Una, mababa naman ang kaso na natin at meron tayong sapat na dami ng kits para gawin ang RT-PCR testing,” she said.

(We are recommending the shift to RT-PCR. One, because we have a low number of cases and we have sufficient kits for RT-PCR testing.)

“Ikalawa, hindi kasi natin nase-sequence ang mga samples na ginamitan ng antigen testing,” she added.

(Second, it’s because we can’t sequence the samples that used antigen testing.)

De Guzman also clarified that the recommendation is not wholly due to the Omicron variant, which has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization.

“There are allegedly some test that cannot detect kasi meron lang mga spefic na mutations unique to Omicron na puwede makita ng certain RT-PCR kits pero hindi kasi siya commonly used and depende nga kung ano ‘yung ginagamit na kits,” she said.

(There are allegedly some tests that cannot detect because there are specific mutations unique to Omicron that can only be seen by certain RT-PCR kits but it’s not commonly used. It depends on the kits used.)

“Pero ganon pa man ang ating mga positive samples ay mapapdala natin sa Genome Center at makikita natin kung sila ay merong Omicron,” she added.

(But even if that’s the case, we will send our positive samples to the Genome Center and they can see if these are positive for Omicron.) — RSJ, GMA News