All regions post positivity rate increase likely due to Omicron variant
The Philippines is now again classified as a “high risk” for COVID-19 following the sharp increase in cases in the past few days, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.
In an online briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the increase in the positivity rate was seen in all regions of the country.
Meanwhile, the DOH also said they assume that the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 is already in the Philippines and being spread locally.
“Nationally, we are now at a high-risk case classification from the low risk case class in the previous week, showing a positive two-week growth rate at 222 percent and a moderate risk average daily attack rate at 1.07 cases for every 100,000 individuals,” Vergeire said.
The national health care utilization rate, however, remained at low risk, with total bed utilization at 18 percent and intensive care units (ICU) utilization at 22 percent, she said.
The Philippines had 21,418 active COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 2, 2022 with a seven-day growth rate of 569.86 percent.
The National Capital Region (NCR)—with its 857.94 percent seven-day growth rate and 813 percent two-week growth rate as of Jan. 2 — is at high risk, Vergeire said.
“[It showed] a high risk one-week growth rate and two-week growth rate and moderate risk average daily attack rate of 5.42 cases per 100,000 population,” Vergeire said.
The health system capacity in the NCR is under 50 percent utilization, Vergeire added.
Based on DOH’s recent COVID-19 tally, 27 percent of the ICU beds and 26 percent of ward beds in the NCR were being used.
The NCR has been placed again under Alert Level 3 from Jan. 3 to 15, 2022 amid the increase in COVID-19 infections.
Under Alert Level 3, several establishments will be allowed to operate at 30 percent indoor venue capacity only for fully vaccinated guests and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity, provided that all employees are fully vaccinated.
Face-to-face classes, contact sports, fairs and casinos are among the activities and establishments that are prohibited under Alert Level 3.
Work at government offices, meanwhile, is limited to 60 percent of their onsite capacity.
Regions IV-A, III, IX, X, and XI also recorded positive one-week and two-week growth rates and are at “low to moderate risk” classification.
“The rest of the regions showed a positive increase in cases only in the recent one week,” Vergeire said.
The DOH has warned of “exponential growth” following the detection of three local cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the Omicron variant may already be responsible for the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The country still has to conduct wide whole genome sequencing to confirm the local transmission of the highly transmissible variant, Vergeire said.
The Philippines on Monday registered 4,084 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total tally to 2,855,819, the DOH reported.
The positivity rate rose to 20.7 percent with 18,587 total conducted tests.
This is much higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of less than 5 percent positivity rate. If the rate is 5 percent or higher, it means there is a high transmission rate of the virus.
The top regions with infections in the recent two weeks were Metro Manila (National Capital Region) with 2,831 or 70 percent, followed by Calabarzon (Region 4-A) with 571 or 14 percent and Central Luzon (Region 3) with 273 or 7 percent.
The fresh cases also brought the active tally to 24,992 from 21,418 recorded on Jan. 2, 2022.
Of the figure, 795 are asymptomatic, 19,252 are mild, 3,051 are moderate, 1,563 are severe and 331 are critical.
There were 16 new fatalities due to COVID-19, raising the death toll to 51,586.
The DOH also reported total recoveries of 2,779,241, with 497 new ones.
Nationwide, 23 percent of intensive care units (ICU) beds, 23 percent of isolation beds, 16 percent of ward beds, and 13 percent of ventilators, were in use.
In Metro Manila, 29 percent of ICU beds, 27 percent of isolation beds, 30 percent of ward beds, and 16 percent of ventilators, were in use.
The Palace on Monday said the more lethal Delta variant of COVID-19 still exists as cases climb, and that the public should not be complacent about following health protocols.
Acting presidential spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said people are so focused on the Omicron variant but forgetting Delta, which is more deadly.
“We’re focusing so much on Omicron, we’re forgetting that Delta is still around. Right now, we are speculating that ‘This is probably Omicron since there are high numbers. We have to remember Delta is still around so don’t forget, don’t say ‘Ah, Omicron okay, it’s okay, this is probably Omicron because they say it’s milder,’” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Headstart.
“If Omicron’s symptoms prove to be less severe, and Delta is still around with a potential to create more severe symptoms — a false sense of security should be avoided if you test positive for COVID-19, and assume its Omicron and think its mild,” he said.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has raised the alert level status in Metro Manila to Alert Level 3 until Jan. 15 due to the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases.
Metro Manila mayors have agreed to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated persons.
The mayors also said that vaccination cards and other ID must be presented when in public places like restaurants, malls and other establishments.
Unvaccinated workers will be required to have an RT-PCR test every two weeks at their own expense.
A health expert on Monday said COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila may reach a peak as early as Jan. 15 or as late as the third week of February.
“In terms of projections, it’s possible cases would increase, especially if we don’t have interventions,” Prof. Jomar Rabajante of the University of the Philippines (UP) Pandemic Response Team said.
He added that the size of reported active cases could range from 20,000 to 40,000 at their peak.
Rabajante said cases may peak earlier if COVID-19 health protocols are not properly implemented.
“Timelines would depend on the behavior, even if we have an Alert Level 3, and the implementation is not good, and people will still be mobile, the transmission of the Omicron variant will be fast and peak early,” he said.
He said if people maintain minimum public health standards, the peak could be delayed and the increases could be smaller.
Also on Monday, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the Omicron coronavirus variant is not yet dominant in the country, despite the increase in the number of COVID-19 infections in the past days.
Vega, also the country’s treatment czar, during a television interview, said Omicron could be dominant in the next three to four weeks, but said the Delta variant is still threatening the country.
“I think we now have still the Delta around but since we reported our first Omicron case way back Dec. 5 and there has been a continuous increase in the sequencing of this Omicron virus, it looks like we will presume that the Omicron is here but it’s still not dominant,” Vega said in an interview with ANC.
“I think in about three to four weeks, as predicted, the Omicron will be dominant in terms of 50 percent to 90 percent of the cases, overtaking the Delta virus. But the Delta virus is definitely still around with us,” Vega said.
Vega said the COVID-19 infections would still peak in the coming days, adding that it is uncertain when the cases will decelerate.
He said Omicron has a high transmissibility rate, which is 30 percent to 50 percent higher compared to Delta.
“We are preparing our health system capacity, our testing, and isolation so that we are all prepared to ride another wave of this virus,” Vega said.
