Increase in COVID-19 cases seen in northern cities of Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — A surge in COVID-19 cases is in its early stages in Metro Manila particularly in cities from the northern part of the capital region, experts said Wednesday.

According to Prof. Guido David of OCTA Research Group, the cities of Caloocan, Valenzuela, Malabon, and Quezon City have all recorded a spike in daily coronavirus infections, unlike those in the southern Metro Manila like Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, and Pasay.

“Iyong increase nakikita natin sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng Metro Manila. Notably, nasa bandang northern area siya,” David said in a televised Laging Handa Public Briefing Wednesday.

“Iyong southern part niya hindi pa gaano nagkakaroon ng cases which means iyong Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Pasay hindi pa actually nag-iincrease. Iyong increase, nakikita natin sa northern part sa Caloocan, Valenzuela, Malabon and Quezon City and some region sa gitna ng Metro Manila including Makati,” he added.

David, however, noted that the entire capital region should be monitored, not only those cities that registered an increase in infections citing the region’s connectivity.

“Kailangan nating bantayan iyan hindi lang iyong areas na ito kundi iyong buong Metro Manila kasi nga alam natin highly connected iyong Metro Manila. It’s very interactive… we can think of it as one organisms so kailangan bantayan natin iyan,” he said.

Areas near Metro Manila like San Jose del Monte in Bulacan and Antipolo and Cainta in Rizal are also seen to have increases in their COVID-19 cases.

“Makikita natin in next week kung magpapatuloy iyong pagtaas ng kaso sa mga lugar na ito,” David said.

In a report dated Dec. 21, the OCTA Research Team said that based on available data, the “period of the declining trend in cases observed in the National Capital Region (NCR) in the past few months has now ended.”

The group said reproduction rate or the number of people that one COVID-19 positive case can infect in NCR has increased from 1.06 to 1.15 for the period from December 14 to 20.

The government is bracing for a possible surge in coronavirus infections as Filipinos celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays.

JE