MANILA — Metro Manila is now classified under "moderate risk" for COVID-19 following an increase in cases, the Department of Health said on Thursday.

The capital region's average daily attack rate (ADAR), or the number of new cases over a 2-week period divided by its population, was at 7.25 cases per 100,000 population, according to the health agency.

The Philippines overall is still classified as "low risk" for coronavirus cases due to "low risk" healthcare utilization, despite all regions showing rising cases in the last one and 2 weeks, the DOH said.

There is a "continued slow incline" in intensive care unit admissions but the utilization remains "low risk" at 21 percent, according to Health Undersecretary Beverly Ho.

"Nananatiling mas mababa sa 1,000 cases simula mid-March ang ating severe at critical admissions. 'Di po sinasabayan ng admissions natin ang pagtaas ng mga kaso," she told reporters.

(Our severe and critical cases remain below 1,000 since mid-March. There aren't as many hospital admissions as there are new cases.)

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The country has an ADAR of 2.43 cases per 100,000 population and a 14.8 percent positivity rate, up from last week's 12.5 percent, Ho said.

The entry of more transmissible omicron subvariants BA.5, BA.4, and BA.2.12.1 is a factor in the country's continuously rising virus infections, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said.

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The public's increased mobility, waning immunity, and lower compliance to health standards also contribute to the rise in cases, Vergeire added.