No coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients were admitted to 598 hospitals nationwide from Dec. 5 to 9, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
“We have observed that nationally, 48.5 percent of hospitals reported no new COVID-19 admissions in the past five days from Dec. 5 to 9,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday, Dec. 10.
Vergeire said that 75.4 percent or 49 out of 65 hospitals in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos) have zero COVID-19 admissions. This was followed by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 73.1 percent or 19 out of 26 hospitals, and Northern Mindanao at 65.7 percent or 46 out of 70 hospitals.
The DOH official said that 39.2 percent or equivalent to 62 out of 158 hospitals in Metro Manila reported no new COVID-19 patients from Dec. 5 to 9.
“The national admissions have also been on a decline, albeit slowing down in recent weeks. It is currently at low risk utilization at 20 percent capacity compared to July or prior to when cases started to peak,” said Vergeire.
“ICU (intensive care unit) admissions have also been on a steady decline (and) is currently at low risk utilization at 25 percent capacity,” she added.
Case trend
The number of new COVID-19 cases across the country is still decreasing, said Vergeire.
“Looking at the disaggregated epidemic curves, all major Island groups and NCR (National Capital Region) plus areas show flat case trends since the start of November,” said Vergeire.
“All regions show a decrease in average daily attack rates compared to the previous three to four weeks and remain to be a minimal low risk case classification with negative two week growth rates,” she added.
The NCR also is now at minimal risk classification for COVID-19, said Vergeire.
“NCR is now at minimal risk case classification with a negative two week growth rate and an average daily attack rate of 0.87 per 100,000 population,” she said.