The Department of Health (DOH) said that nine cities in Metro Manila have recorded at least one patient infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
"Nine out of the 17 cities in NCR (National Capital Region) are with Delta variants as of August 1 of this year," said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday, August 3.
These cities are Malabon with four cases, Makati with three cases, San Juan with two cases, Las Pinas with 14 cases, Valenzuela with one case, Pasig with six cases, Mandaluyong with two cases, Manila with 12 cases, and Caloocan with four cases.
Vergeire said that Metro Manila continues to exhibit an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
“In NCR, the seven-day moving average shows continuously increased trend as cases in the recent 7 days have exceeded the previous seven days by 607 cases,” said Vergeire.
"So, we now have an average daily reported case of 1,535 here in the National Capital Region. All of the areas in the National Capital Region have positive two-week growth rates," she added.
The healthcare utilization rate in Metro Manila is still classified as low risk, said Vergeire.
"For NCR, we currently have 9,256 total beds dedicated for COVID with a utilization rate of 47 percent. We have 1,140 ICU beds and the current ICU utilization is at 55 percent," she said.
At present, the Philippines already detected a total of 216 Delta variant cases, of which, 165 are considered local cases while the remaining 48 cases were returning overseas Filipinos.
“Given ongoing Delta variant of concern transmission, we need to immediately address observed case in places, closely monitor health care utilization and consider implementing higher community quarantine as preemptive measures to contain the Delta spread,” said Vergeire.