DTI head rules out Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez doubts that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will revert Metro Manila to Alert Level 2 amid the increasing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

Lopez told reporters in a Viber message the country needs to “sustain economic recovery”.

This, as the utilization rate of health care facilities remains low despite the Department of Health (DOH) reported that weekly cases in 14 out of 17 cities and municipalities in NCR have increased.

“We have already learned by now that mild Covid cases and low ICU utilization rate should not lead to escalating the alert level,” Lopez said.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said total beds utilization as of June 7 remained at 19 percent while intensive care unit occupancy rate was at 16 percent, which is considered to be low risk.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion has proposed lifting the state of public health emergency, as the Philippines was classified as a low-risk country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.