MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has classified eight areas in the National Capital Region and over 25 others across the country under Alert Level 4 due to the high number of coronavirus cases.
Under Alert Level 4, the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) is greater than 70% and is categorized as moderate- to critical-risk, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in an online briefing on Friday.
Quezon City, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Makati, Malabon, San Juan, and Pateros are among the Metro Manila areas under Alert Level 4.
Also under Alert Level 4 are Cordillera Administrative Region – Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet; Region 1- Ilocos Norte; Region 2 – Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino; Region 3 – Angeles City, Bataan, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac; Region 4-A – Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Lucena City; Region 6 – Iloilo, Iloilo City; Region 7 – Cebu, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City; Region 8 – Tacloban City; Region 10 – Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin; Region 11 – Davao City; Region 12 – General Santos City.
Vergeire stated that the highly transmissible Delta variant has been found in all of Metro Manila’s cities.
“These alert levels will give us triggers kung ano ‘yung kailangan na nating gawin at saka kung ano ‘yung mga flagged areas natin (what we need to do and what our flagged areas are),” Vergeire said.
With a negative two-week case growth rate and an HCUR of less than 50%, areas under Alert Level 1 are considered minimal- to low-risk. This also suggests that transmission and the HCUR are low, and no Delta variant cases have been identified.
Areas under Alert Level 1 are Region 4-B – Palawan; Region 5 – Camarines, Norte, Albay; Region 7 – Negros Oriental; Region 8 – Biliran; Region 9 – Zamboanga Sibugay; BARMM – Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan.
From July 31 to August 6, the Philippines have an average of 8,284 new coronavirus cases every day, according to Vergeire.
