OCTA Research says NCR’s COVID-19 reproduction rate dips; calls for another week of ECQ

This photo taken on April 6, 2021 shows a relative wearing personal protective equipment attending to a family member with COVID-19 at a makeshift ward in a hospital in Manila. More contagious variants of the coronavirus have been blamed for a record surge in infections in Metro Manila that has overwhelmed hospitals and sent the national capital region into lockdown. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — While the COVID-19 reproduction number in Metro Manila has decreased, the OCTA Research group said Saturday it still recommends extending the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over NCR Plus for another week.

In its report on Saturday, OCTA said the COVID-19 reproduction rate in Metro Manila already decreased to 1.23 from 1.88 before the region and its adjacent provinces were placed under ECQ.

“The ECQ has been effective in reducing the growth rate and reproduction number in the NCR. There is hope that the NCR will be on a downward trend by next week,” the group said.

However, OCTA noted that significant viral transmissions continue given that the COVID-19 reproduction number is still above 1 hence it still recommends another week-long ECQ for the so-called “NCR Plus.”

“Extend the ECQ for another week to continue to slow down the surge, decongest our hospitals and relieve the pressure on our healthcare workers. OCTA believes that opening up the NCR+ prematurely would be a significant risk as it could accelerate the surge again,” OCTA said.

“However, if ECQ extension cannot be considered for socioeconomic reasons, we are suggesting a minimum of two weeks of MECQ,” it added.

The government is expected to announced new quarantine classifications of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna this Saturday.

The ECQ implementation over these areas will lapse on Sunday, April 11.

EDV