The Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday the country remains at low-risk case classification despite the reported increase in new Covid-19 cases.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, who will replace Undersecretary Maria Cabotaje as Incident Manager of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC), however, said the National Capital Region has maintained a sharp increase in reported cases.
“Remaining areas, except for Mindanao, also showed an uptick in cases, but remain at less than 80 cases per day,” Vergeire said.
Vergeire said that more than half of admissions remain to be asymptomatic and mild cases.
Meanwhile, Vergeire said that health-care utilization rate remains at low risk.
“While the country continues to see an upward trend in new Covid-19 cases nationally and in most regions, average daily attack rates, admissions, and utilization rates remain low,” Vergeire added.
The DOH, she said, is reminding the public to strictly adhere to the minimum public health standards and get vaccinated and boosted to maintain a low risk health-care utilization rate.
“Wear the best fitting mask especially when there’s a large group of people, isolate when
sick, double up on protection with primary series and booster shots, and always ensure good airflow. Let’s all continue to be BIDAs to remain under Alert Level 1,” the health official said.
NVOC designation
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III has designated Vergeire as the head of NVOC.
“As a senior career executive in government service, Undersecretary Vergeire will be taking over the able leadership of Undersecretary Myrna C. Cabotaje, who will be finishing her term on June 30, 2022,” DOH said.
This succession, DOH added, is meant to avoid gaps in implementation of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination program amid the transition of leadership.
“The Department, including Undersecretary Vergeire will welcome the guidance and decisions of the incoming administration as regards the leadership of NVOC,” the DOH added.
“That is the assignment. Pero syempre ‘pag pumasok po ang bagong administration maaari pa rin pong magbago ‘yan. [But of course, that would still change with the new administration],” Vergeire said as she lauded Cabotaje, under the Duque, for her “ leadership on NVOC.”