As the positivity rate remains relatively flat at 34.6% today from 62,671 tests done last January 26, the Health Agency announces 18,638 new cases. The past days has seen a declining trend of cases for the National Capital Region and the contiguous areas of CALABARZON and Central Luzon. However, this is being offset by increasing cases in the provinces. Unfortunately, because the bulk of testing facilities are in NCR plus, the positivity rate remains high nationally because we are under testing and it is highly likely that people in the provinces are not alarmed at the clinical presentation of Omicron.

With fewer recoveries than cases, the active cases are at a little more than 231,000 with close to 98% of them being asymptomatic. ICU utilization rate is at low risk both nationally and in Mega Manila.

There are 68 deaths added today.