DOH: NCR Plus, other areas show increase in COVID-19 cases
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila and other areas in the Philippines are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health said Friday.
In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the risk classification of the entire country remains at low risk but “more regions are experiencing a trend reversal to positive two-week growth rate.”
The average daily cases in the Philippines increased to 5,666 per day from July 16 to 22, higher than the average of 5,040 infections in the previous week.
“After a slow decline in the past weeks, the case trend in the NCR Plus areas is showing an increase in the recent week,” Vergeire said.
“Fastest increase” in cases were seen in Cavite and Bulacan.
In the capital region, authorities recorded 797 cases from July 16 to 22, an increase of 197 cases from the previous week. Eleven areas also exhibited positive two-week growth rates.
“There is a need to identify the causes of this increase in cases in these local governments to preserve the gains achieved in the past two months,” Vergeire said.
“The detection of variants of concern can be correlated with the case spikes that we are experiencing,” she added.
Trends in other areas
Rise in cases was seen in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, while a decline in cases was observed in Bicol region, the health official said.
Ilocos region, Mimaropa and the Cordillera Administration Region showed a plateauing in infections.
In the Visayas, a “steep rise” in cases was seen in Central Visayas. COVID-19 infections were declining in Eastern Visayas, while cases were plateauing in Western Visayas.
In southern Philippines, Northern Mindanao exhibited a “fast increase” in cases. Infections were also increasing in Caraga and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindano.
A downward trend was seen in Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region, while the case trend in Soccksargen was plateauing, Vergeire also said.
Authorities placed Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until July 31. This was after the DOH confirmed the local transmission of the more transmissible Delta variant.
The Philippines has reported 1.53 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
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