Compared to three to four weeks ago, all regions have shown a decrease in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) average daily attack rates as the country is now under minimal risk case classification, the Department of Health said on Monday, Dec. 6.

During a media briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters that all regions remain at minimal to low risk case classification "with a negative one or two week growth rates" while nationally, the average daily attack rate fell below 1 putting it at minimal risk case classification.

"Nationally we remain at minimal risk case classification with a negative two week growth rate at negative 57 percent and a low risk average daily attack rate at 0.67 cases for every 100,000 individuals. The National Health Systems' capacity is at low risk," she said.

"As of this date, all provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities are at minimal to low risk case classification and are under alert level 2," Vergeire added.

She mentioned that Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Guimaras and South Cotabato were de-escalated from Alert Level 3 last week. However there are two areas, Eastern Samar and Zamboanga Sibugay that showed a positive one week and two week growth rates. A slight increase was seen in their average daily attack rates from the previous week, but it remained at less than one per 100,000 population. She said that despite this positive growth both areas remain to be at low risk case classification COVID-19 beds and ICU at low rates.

The decline in cases was accompanied by a decline in our positivity rates. Nationally the weekly positivity rate as of December 4 is at 1.8 percent. The National Capital Region (NCR) had the lowest rate of 1.1 percent followed by Region IV-A and Region VII both at 1.20 percent.Only Regions II, IV-B and IX had rates at more than five percent but were observed to be lower than the previous weeks and were steadily declining.

Health care utilization rate

All regions' total COVID-19 bed and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) utilization, according to Vergeire, are at low risk or less than 50 percent. NCR is currently at low risk case classification with a negative two week growth rate and an average daily attack rate of 1.13 per 100,000 population.

She also mentioned that national admissions have also been on a decline and is currently at low risk utilization at 21 percent. Also, as of December 4. admissions were lower by 8,359 or 52 percent versus July 1, 2021 while the number of dedicated beds have also decreased since the start of October, but is still higher by 1,170 beds or three percent of July 1, 2021.

Vergeire added that ICU admissions have also been on a steady decline and is currently at low risk utilization at 26 percent. Occupied ICU beds have plateaued in the recent week. Similar to total beds, the number of current dedicated ICU beds is still higher by 157 or five percent and ICU admissions are lower by 950 or 51 percent compared to July 1, 2021.