8 NCR areas under Covid-19 Alert Level 4: DOH

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has placed eight areas in the National Capital Region and over 25 others nationwide under Alert Level 4 due to the high number of coronavirus cases.

At an online briefing Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said under Alert Level 4, healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) is higher than 70 percent and classified as moderate- to critical-risk.

In Metro Manila, areas under Alert Level 4 are Quezon City, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Makati, Malabon, San Juan and Pateros.

Also under Alert Level 4 are Cordillera Administrative Region – Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet; Region 1- Ilocos Norte; Region 2 – Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino; Region 3 – Angeles City, Bataan, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac; Region 4-A – Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Lucena City; Region 6 – Iloilo, Iloilo City; Region 7 – Cebu, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City; Region 8 – Tacloban City; Region 10 – Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin; Region 11 – Davao City; Region 12 – General Santos City.

Vergeire said the highly transmissible Delta variant had been detected in all cities in Metro Manila.

“These alert levels will give us triggers kung ano ‘yung kailangan na nating gawin at saka kung ano ‘yung mga flagged areas natin (what we need to do and what our flagged areas are),” Vergeire said.

For areas under Alert Level 1 are considered minimal- to low-risk and with a negative two-week case growth rate and HCUR lower than 50 percent. This also means transmission and the HCUR are low and there is no Delta variant case recorded.

Areas under Alert Level 1 are Region 4-B – Palawan; Region 5 – Camarines, Norte, Albay; Region 7 – Negros Oriental; Region 8 – Biliran; Region 9 – Zamboanga Sibugay; BARMM – Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan.

Vergeire said the Philippines now averages 8,284 new coronavirus cases per day from July 31 to Aug. 6.