The Department of Health on Friday said it is not keen on recommending the return of mandatory masking in public places amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and other respiratory diseases.

In a media briefing, Health Secretary Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa said the mandatory masking in some hospitals, particularly the Philippine General Hospital, is being implemented to protect visitors, patients and healthcare workers.

"Several hospitals were implementing stricter masking. If you enter the PGH, you will be required to wear a mask, but that doesn't mean that we all need to wear masks," Herbosa said.

"It is only because if you are a visitor, you may contract COVID-19. It is for your own protection that they are telling you to wear a mask," he added.

Earlier this week, the PGH started requiring all medical personnel and visitors to wear masks within the hospital's vicinity.

The hospital's management said the move was due to the reported increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 that also affected its healthcare workers.

Herbosa confirmed that there is an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, which has left allocated COVID-19 beds in some hospitals across the country almost fully occupied.

He, however, explained that it was because the allocated COVID-19 beds in these hospitals were fewer compared to the height of the pandemic.

"After the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals decreased the number of COVID-19 beds to allocate more resources for patients with other illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease," he said.

"In our total statistics, it is still not as much higher than compared to the similar months last year," he added.

He continued: "Yes, there is a slight uptick. Yes, some hospitals say that their COVID beds are full, but the context is because their beds are fewer."

Earlier this week, the Health department recorded a total of 1,821 new COVID-19 cases.

Based on the department's latest case bulletin, the daily average cases are now 260, which is 36 percent higher than cases reported last week,

The department also reported 13 new severe and critical cases, as well as 13 deaths over the past week.

"Of the 13 deaths, 3 occurred in December 2023, and 10 in November 2023," it said.

With the new cases, 1,863 out of 11,111 non-intensive care unit cases were now occupied while 176 out of 1,298 ICU beds were occupied.

Meanwhile, 228 beds allotted to severe and critical admissions are currently occupied.

The Health department previously reported a slow increase in the number of COVID cases, as well as influenza-like illnesses.