Virus spread slows in all LGUs within NCR bubble — OCTA

NOT COVERED Even in the early months of the pandemic, many hospitals had to set up tents to accommodate COVID-19 patients awaiting space in their intensive care units. — INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The COVID-19 reproduction number in Metro Manila decreased to 0.93 for the previous week as research group OCTA notes a downward trend in all cities inside the National Capital Region (NCR).

The latest number covers April 18 to 24 according to a report released by OCTA on Sunday.

The reproduction number indicates the speed of the virus’ spread. The higher the number, the faster the spread.

The research group, which analyzes COVID-19 trends, noted that all seventeen local government units (LGUs) in NCR had a decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases compared to the preceding week.

“The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported per day in the NCR was 3,841 over the past week, with a one week growth rate of -20%,” OCTA said.

“The current average is also 30% lower than the average of 5,552 during the peak of the surge three weeks ago,” it added.

OCTA said NCR had a positivity rate of 19 percent in an average of 26,120 tests per day.

This is lower than the 24 percent positivity rate recorded last week but with a higher average test per day of 28,000.

Hospital occupancy, on the other hand, remained high within the NCR Plus bubble. However, the occupancy rate decreased in some LGUs due to the expansion of hospital beds and intensive care unit (ICU) capacity in some hospitals.

The research group said that hospital bed occupancy in the NCR decreased to 61% while ICU bed occupancy also decreased to 71%.

Meanwhile, outside the NCR bubble, OCTA noted that Angeles City, Pampanga had a significant increase in new COVID-19 cases per day, recording 89 cases per day.

Pampanga had an average of 334 new COVID-19 cases per day over the past week, which is 6% above the average of the preceding week’s, according to OCTA.

Batangas also had an increase of 24% from the previous week, now averaging at 327 new COVID-19 cases per day.

The country’s total number of infections stands at 989,380 cases, with 89,485 currently active cases, and a death toll at 16,674.

EDV