THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported a 23 percent drop in the number of average daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country from July 10 to 16.
According to the latest COVID-19 case bulletin, there was an average of 277 cases daily, or a total of 1,938, during the seven-day period.
This is 23 percent lower than the average daily cases reported from July 3 to 9, which was at 359.
The DOH case bulletin showed there were 25 additional severe and critical cases during the past week, with 26 deaths reported.
There are currently 324 severe and critical cases in the country, as of July 16. Of this, 234 are occupying ICU beds, or 10.4 percent of the total 2,246 ICU beds nationwide.
On the other hand, there are 2,806 patients occupying COVID-19 beds, or 16 percent of the 17,583 total COVID-19 beds allocated nationwide.
Meanwhile, the independent OCTA Research group said COVID-19 positivity rates in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 12 provinces have declined.
In a social media post, OCTA reported that the positivity rate in Metro Manila dipped from 4.2 percent on July 8 to 4 percent on July 15.
Also seeing dropping numbers are Bataan (17 percent to 16.2 percent), Batangas (5.7 percent to 5.1 percent), Benguet (15.5 percent to 11.8 percent), Cagayan (12.2 percent to 8.7 percent), Camarines Sur (20.2 percent to 17.9 percent), Laguna (5.9 percent to 3.7 percent), Oriental Mindoro (17.6 percent to 4.8 percent), Pampanga (14.5 percent to 6.9 percent), Pangasinan (15.7 percent to 10.9 percent), Quezon (8.3 percent to 3 percent), Rizal (8.5 percent to 6.5 percent), and Tarlac (11.8 percent to 11.7 percent).
In Bulacan, the positivity rate stayed at 4.8 percent.
