(BusinessWorld) Philippine health authorities have raised the alert level in eight places in Metro Manila and more than 20 areas in other regions due to the increasing number of coronavirus cases and hospital utilization rates.

This, as the country continues to battle a surge in coronavirus infections believed to be triggered by the more contagious Delta variant.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said that Quezon City, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Pateros, Taguig, Malabon, Makati, and San Juan in Metro Manila are now under alert level four, the health department’s highest level based on the acuteness of coronavirus cases and health utilization rates.

“Alert level four areas are those whose risk classification have reached moderate to critical risk and whose utilization rate of either their total COVID-19 or ICU bed utilization are more than 70%,” she said during a virtual news briefing.

Several areas in the Cordillera region, the Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, the Davao region, and Soccsksargen were also placed under the same alert level, she added.

Sixty-one percent of about 3,800 intensive care unit beds in the country are in use as of Aug. 4, Palace spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said on Thursday. He added that 53% of isolation beds and 52% of ward beds were occupied.