Pateros is the only local government unit (LGU) in Metro Manila with zero new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the last seven days.
The municipality, the smallest in the National Capital Region (NCR), has been COVID-19-free in the last four days.
Data from the Pateros Health Department showed that as of Dec. 7, Pateros has zero active COVID-19 cases and zero new cases out of 7,952 confirmed cases, 7,846 recoveries, and 106 deaths.
Dr. Guido David of OCTA Research released a COVID-19 update for NCR. It showed that Pateros has zero new COVID-19 cases from Dec. 1 to 7 with zero percent growth rate compared to the period Nov. 24 to 30.
Pateros’ infection, or the reproduction number R1, as of Dec. 4 is 0.14, the lowest in the NCR. Its healthcare utilization rate and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy as of Dec. 6 are 27 percent and 17 percent, respectively.
OCTA Research classified Pateros and 10 other LGUs in Metro Manila as very low risk based on its own metrics.
In an interview with CNN Philippines on Dec. 6, Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III said from Nov. 13 to Dec. 5, the Pateros municipal government’s daily reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests produced zero positive cases.
“I think we can attribute these three to the very high vaccination rollout that we have been doing in our town considering that out of the total population I believe that we have already vaccinated, we fully vaccinated around 96 percent of our adult population,” said Ponce.
He added that the municipal government has vaccinated close to 75 percent of minors aged 12 to 17 years old with the first dose, while 44 percent of the minors are now fully vaccinated.
Amid the threat of the Omicron variant, Ponce said they will be implementing stricter rules this Christmas season "because we do not want to have a surge after the holidays."
"That is why we are trying to limit those who will be allowed to engage in caroling and we have to limit also the celebration of Christmas party. So this is our way of preventing and not being confident of what we have already attained right now,” said Ponce.