Philippines logs 1,146 new COVID-19 cases from Oct. 16–22, 2023

The Department of Health logged 1,146 new COVID-19 cases in the week from October 16 to 22, slightly lower than the 1,252 it recorded the week prior.

According to GMA Integrated News Research, this averages to 164 new cases daily, again slightly lower than the previous week's average of 179.

The most recent weekly total is the lowest in five weeks, but for the sixth straight week more than 1,000 weekly new cases have been tallied.

Twenty-two of the new cases are classified as severe or critical, the most in 11 reporting weeks.

Nine deaths were verified during the past week, all occurring in the period from October 9 to 22.

Healthcare utilization is still in the "low risk" zone. There are 221 severe and critical admissions as of October 22, 2023, 8.1% of total COVID-19 admissions, the lowest percentage in three weeks. However, it is also the third straight week of more than 200 new severe and critical admissions.

ICU bed utilization is at 11.8%, with 173 out of 1,465 ICU beds used, the lowest occupancy rate in six reporting weeks.

Non-ICU bed utilization is at 16.9%, with 2,118 out of 12,536 non-ICU beds used, for the sixth reporting week of more than 15% non-ICU beds in use. — BM, GMA Integrated News