By Jennylou Canon

PHOTO: Morgan Magazine

The Department of Health (DOH) have considered Metro Manila as “low risk,” and said that COVID-19 alert levels in the area may be relaxed.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire cited the decreased hospital utilization in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the possible Alert level 2 or 3 classification.

“May posibilidad naman ‘pag tinignan natin kasi we are using metrics. These are based on science na tinitignan natin ‘yung number of new cases in an area. Tinitignan natin ‘yung kanilang two-week growth rate. Tinitignan din natin ‘yung hospital utilization,” Vergeire said.

She also added that intensive care unit and bed utilization have dropped below 50 percent in NCR, and below 70 percent utilization in the region except Muntinlupa City.