Despite the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health (DOH) emphasized that the hospital utilization rate is still "more than that of a high risk level".

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH spokesperson, in ''Laging Handa'' public briefing explained this why Alert Level Four was extended in the National Capital Region (NCR).

"We still have 93 areas in Alert Level 4. When we say Alert Level 4, the utilization of their hospital is still more than that of a high-risk, in the high-risk level, around 70 percent and more," he said.

"If we were going to see the situation here in Metro Manila, although we see that the cases are going down, there are 10 areas where their intensive care unit (ICU) utilization is averaging about 76 percent occupancy," he added.

Vergeire also noted that the hospital utilization rate in NCR is still in full capacity.

"There is 100 percent hospital utilization here in the areas of NCR. We will also see that although the cases are going the average daily attack rate is still moderate our case trend," he said.

"So, we still need to monitor these we cannot let go yet on this alert level, because we still need to be cautious because hospital are still full," she said.

However, Vergeire assures that the DOH will de-escalate the alert level once the admission and the utilization rate of hospitals and ICU's have improved.

"When we see that it is loosening up and the admission has lessened, that’s the time that we are going to de-escalate if ever, we are also considering other indicators not just hospital utilization. We are also looking at the response of our local communities in PDITR; that is one of the considerations and of course the vaccination," she said.

"That is why we are advising the public that we cannot be complacent at this point. We have to continue what we are doing for us to continue to decongest our hospital," she added. Robina Asido/DMS