The country, as well as the National Capital Region (NCR) and majority of all the other regions, has returned to low-risk case classification for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday night, Feb. 14.

In his report during the President's pre-recorded public address, Duque said that the country registered a low-risk two-week growth rate of negative 74 percent and an average daily attack rate of 5.26 per 100,000 population.

More than a month ago, on Jan. 11 the country was put at critical-risk classification with a two-week growth rate at 3663 percent and an average daily attack rate of 10.47 per 100,000 population.

The country's seven-day average daily cases is at 3,521 from Feb. 8 to Feb. 14 which is lower by 56 percent than the previous week.

Last month, the country's seven-day average daily cases was at 20,481 from Jan. 4 to Jan. 10, with an increase of 690 percent.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila is also at low-risk classification with a negative 83 two-week growth rate and an average daily attack rate at 6.37 per 100,000 population.

All island groups are on a downward trend, according to Duque. Only Regions 6, 11, 12 and CAR remain at moderate-risk classification. For healthcare utilization, only Region 11 is at moderate risk Intensive Care Unit (ICU) utilization while the rest of the regions are at low risk or below 50 percent utilization.

"What this means is we are able to manage our cases and our health systems capacity is very much prepared for any eventuality," Duque said.

"Na kung magkaroon na naman ng saka-sakaling pagtaas makikita po natin ang laki po ng ating excess at mababa ang ating utilization rate (That if ever there will be another surge in cases we can see that we have a lot of excess and our utilization rate is low)," he added.

For mortality rate, Duque reported that despite an observed increase in deaths compared to December 2021, the increase in deaths were not proportionate to the case increase.