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Philippines' COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 7.6 pct

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Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Commuters wait for public transit on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 6, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/04/18/20230306-jeepney-strike-commuters-md.jpg"/><figcaption>Commuters wait for public transit on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 6, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — A slight increase in COVID-19 positivity rate or the percentage of tests turning out positive for the virus was observed in the country, the Department of Health said Tuesday.&quot;Yes, we can say na tumataas po ang positivity rate ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa,&quot; DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.&quot;From last week, which was just 6.9 percent. Ngayon po, ang positivity rate natin is at 7.6 percent.&quot;The World Health Organization recommends a 5-percent threshold for COVID-19 positivity rate.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/23/omicron-subvariant-xbb191-detected-in-philippines">Philippines detects cases of omicron subvariant XBB.1.9.1</a></li></ul>The country is averaging 371 daily coronavirus infections, Vergeire said.&quot;From 274 cases per day last week, ngayon nasa 371 cases per day tayo,&quot; she added.But the health official noted that the positivity rate should not be used as the sole indicator to measure the country&#x27;s COVID-19 situation.Demand for laboratory testing is falling as many people use antigen tests or choose to self-isolate to stop the spread of the virus, she added.&quot;Kapag mababa ang nagpapa-test, marami pong nagpopositibo... tataas ang positivity rate,&quot; Vergeire said.(If few people are getting tested and many of them turn out positive, the positivity rate increases.)She also cited increased mobility among the public as the country recently observed the long weekend over the Holy Week while more sectors had opened up.She said the country&#x27;s health system is &quot;prepared&quot; should there be a surge in COVID-19 cases.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/16/23/bagong-omicron-subvariant-na-xbb116-binabantayan">Bagong omicron subvariant na XBB.1.16 binabantayan</a></li></ul>As of Sunday, some 356 cases or 9.1 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the latest national COVID-19 case bulletin showed.At least 234 out of 1,900 or 12.3 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID patients were occupied, the report added. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 17.4 percent.Based on the DOH&#x27;s COVID-19 Tracker, the Philippines has 9,723 active COVID-19 cases as of April 17.Since the pandemic broke out in 2020, the country has recorded over 4,086,000 coronavirus infections. The death toll stood at 66,441.

A slight increase in COVID-19 positivity rate or the percentage of tests turning out positive for the virus was observed in the country.

Philippines' COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 7.6 pct

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Philippines' COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 7.6 pct

Davinci Maru,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 18, 2023 02:37 PM PHT

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