The Department of Health recorded a total of 54 areas under Alert Level Four where utilization rate of hospitals reached more than 70 percent due to the rising cases of COVID-19.

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire, DOH spokesperson, said the areas in National Capital Region under the highest alert level include Las Piñas, Malabon, Makati, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, San Juan, Pateros, Quezon City, Taguig and Valenzuela.

"And we are finding all of these 54 areas across the different regions in CAR, Regions I to III, Region IV-A, Region V, VI,VII, VIII, Region X, Region XII and Caraga," she said.

Vergeire said because of the increasing trend of COVID-19 cases there is no area in the country that remains in Alert Level One.

"Many have escalated from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 3 or Alert Level 4. Now we do not have areas under Alert Level 1. All the areas are now under Alert Level 2, Alert Level 3 and Alert Level 4," she said.

"So, we see an increase in cases. What we need to do is to continue to prepare for us to be able to accomodate more in our hospitals and most importantly we have to cut the transmission in the community," she added.

Vergeire said covered courts hospital, function halls and conference rooms are now being converted to accommodate patients as the government is expanding the capacity of its hospital.

"We are using modular hospitals and tents," she said. Robina Asido/DMS