The COVID-19 situation in the Philippines is classified as "low risk", a Department of Health (DOH) official said on Monday night.

This was announced by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during the Talk To The People with President Rodrido Duterte, as he noted that four regions remain at moderate risk.

"Mr. President, now, the country is at low risk classification. Meanwhile, there are four regions at moderate risk. But our healthcare utilization rate is at low to moderate risk levels, but the majority are at low risk healthcare utilization-wise," he said.

"All are at low risk classification except for Regions XI, CAR, VI, and XII," he added.

Duque said the seven day moving average of the positivity rate has decreased to 13.7 percent while demand for testing also went down to 32,102.

"As of yesterday, our national utilization rate is at low risk at 28.5 percent bed utilization, while the ICU bed utilization is at 34.1 percent. All in all, we are in low risk classification" he said.

"The seven-day moving average on February 8-14 is at 3,521, which is lower by 56 percent compared to the week prior, which was at about 8,000 thereabouts. And the NCR is also 536 lower by 55 percent compared to the previous week from February 1 to February 7 at 1,292," he added.

Duque said the two-week growth rate in the whole country went down to negative 74 percent while the average daily attack rate declined from a high risk of 20 plus cases per 100,000 population is at 5.26 percent.

During the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing on Tuesday, Guido David, a OCTA Research fellow said the positivity rate may reach the five percent benchmark of the World Health Organization next month.

"Safely by March 1, I think we will reach the five percent most likely before March 1 but safely we can say that by March 1 we will reach the less than 5 percent positivity rate in Metro Manila," he said. Robina Asido/DMS