NCR, other areas remain under Alert Level 1
MOST parts of the country, including the National Capital Region (NCR), other provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities will remain under Alert Level 1 from June 1 to 15, 2022.
Alert Level 1 is so far the lowest quarantine classification in the country amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The following areas will be under Alert Level 1:
* National Capital Region
* Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Baguio City
* Region 1 (Ilocos): Ilocos Norte, locos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City
* Region 2 (Cagayan Valley): Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, City of Santiago
* Region 3 (Central Luzon): Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City
* Calabarzon: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Lucena City
* Mimaropa: Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Puerto Princesa City
* Region 5 (Bicol): Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City
* Region 6 (Western Visayas): Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Bacolod City, Ilollo City
* Region 7 (Central Visayas): Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City
* Region 8 (Eastern Visayas): Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City
* Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula): Zamboanga City
* Region 10 (Northern Mindanao): Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City
* Region 11 (Davao Region): Davao City, Davao Oriental
* Caraga: Surigao del Sur, Butuan City
The following component cities and municipalities are also under Alert Level 1:
Luzon
* Mimaropa: Looc, Occidental Mindoro
* Region V (Bicol): Pamplona, Camarines Sur; Mandaon, Masbate
Visayas
* Region 8 (Eastern Visayas):
Villaba, Leyte
Mindanao
* Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula): Salug, Zamboanga del Norte; Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur
* Region 11 (Davao): Nabunturan, Davao de Oro; New Bataan, Davao de Oro
* Caraga: San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Dinagat, Dinagat Islands; Mainit, Surigao del Norte
Under Alert Level 1, all restrictions, such as in transportation, mobility and capacity, are lifted except for the mandatory adherence to minimum public health protocols, especially the wearing of face masks and observance of physical distancing.
The following areas, on the other hand, were placed under Alert Level 2:
Luzon
* CAR: Benguet, Ifugao
* Calabarzon: Quezon Province * Mimaropa: Occidental Mindoro, Palawan
* Region 5 (Bicol): Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon
Visayas
* Region 6 (Western Visayas): Antique, Negros Occidental
* Region 7 (Central Visayas): Bohol, Cebu Province, Negros Oriental EDITOR: CHERRY ANN T. LIM / ctlim@sunstar.com.ph
* Region 8 (Eastern Visayas): Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar
Mindanao
* Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula): City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay
* Region 10 (Northern Mindanao): Lanao del Norte
* Region 11 (Davao): Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental
* Region 12 (Soccsksargen): General Santos Ciy, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato
* Caraga: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte
* Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm): Basilan, Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi
Cases rise
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said the country remained under minimal risk for Covid-19 despite the slight increase in cases over the past week compared to the week prior.
The DOH has detected cases of Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.2.12 and the BA.4, which reportedly are more transmissible than the mother variant.
The agency confirmed that there is already local transmission of the BA.2.12.1 subvariant in the country with 16 cases.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Edsel Salvaña of the DOH-Technical Advisory Group said based on initial findings, the BA.2.12.1 subvariant is 23 to 27 percent more transmissible than the Omicron variant, the most transmissible variant of Covid-19.
But he said there is no indication yet that the BA.2.12.1 causes more severe infection.
The BA.2.12.1 is said to be responsible for the spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in New York in early April.
Experts earlier warned about the spike in cases due to these subvariants.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization said the global death toll associated directly or indirectly with the Covid-19 pandemic from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2021 was about 14.9 million.
This includes deaths associated with Covid-19 directly (due to the disease) or indirectly (due to the pandemic’s impact on health systems, preventing people with other health conditions from accessing prevention or treatment services).