DOH: Only Laguna still at high risk for COVID-19 in NCR Plus

The province of Laguna is the only area still classified as high-risk for COVID-19 in NCR Plus, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.

Data from DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea de Guzman showed that cases in Laguna grew by 6% during June 13 to 26 while its average daily attack rate (ADAR) was high at 8.24 cases per 100,000 population.

The province’s hospital bed occupancy rate was in the safe zone at 59.09% as of June 29 but its intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization rate was in the moderate risk category at 66.67%.

“Malaking area ang Laguna kung tutuusin (Laguna is a big area), so we need to identify… more specific reasons bakit hindi niya ma-sustain ‘yung pagbaba (why it can’t sustain the decrease in cases),” De Guzman said in an online forum.

“Ito na lang ngayon ‘yung area sa NCR Plus na meron pa tayong nakikitang pagtaas ng mga kaso (This is the only area in NCR Plus where we are still seeing an increase in cases),” she added.

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal—the four other areas that make up NCR Plus—have been classified as low risk by the DOH due to their negative two-week case growth rate and moderate-risk ADAR.

However, De Guzman said some NCR Plus areas were kept under general community quarantine with some restrictions due to “erratic” COVID-19 trends.

“Generally, the report of Calabarzon... was really the less adherence to MPHS (minimum public health standards) and they saw gatherings, may mga nag-pa-party na, may mga nagpapa-social event na (some throw parties or social events),” she said.

“Ang magandang mare-report natin sa lahat ng [NCR] Plus areas, lahat ng HCUR (healthcare utilization rate) ay nasa safe zone na. Nananatili na lang na sa Laguna at sa Cavite ay meron tayong moderate-risk ICUR (ICU utilization rate),” she added.

(The good news that we can report among NCR Plus areas is that the healthcare utilization rate is in the safe zone. Only Laguna and Cavite have a moderate-risk ICU utilization rate.)

Meanwhile, the entire Philippines has been classified as a low risk area for COVID-19 after the national case growth rate and ADAR decreased, while four regions were flagged over an upward trend.

The country has tallied over 1.4 million COVID-19 cases with 1.3 million recoveries and 24,662 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon.—AOL, GMA News