LOOK: Taxpayers observe social distancing on the last day of filling of income tax returns at the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Intramuros, Manila on Monday, June 15, 2020. 📷: Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — The average number of new COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila per day is now less than 2,000, the OCTA Research, which monitors the trends of COVID-19 numbers in the country, said Tuesday.
“What we are seeing is several of the indicators are trending in the right direction. So the number of cases per day in a seven-day average in NCR (National Capital Region) is actually 1,930. So we’re already averaging less than 2,000 cases per day in NCR,” Professor Guido David said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
This was an improvement from the previous 2,172 seven-day average reported by the research group on Sunday.
Earlier in April, the OCTA Research said that the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila should not exceed 2,000 before quarantine restrictions are relaxed to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed.
David added that the decrease in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila is “very significant” as it is 65 percent lower compared to the numbers during the peak of the surge. He noted that in some local government units, the decrease from the peak is already above 80 percent.
“Definitely the number of cases is trending in the right direction. The reproduction number is 0.65 so that is less than one, and the positivity rate has decreased to 14 percent so these are very good indicators,” he said.
On Monday, experts from the OCTA Research recommended the slow and calibrated easing of quarantine restrictions in the NCR Plus, which covers Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan, to sustain the downward trend in COVID-19 numbers.
David said that “the conditions right now are suitable or acceptable for a possible easing of restrictions but if we do ease restriction our recommendation is to do it gradually and calibrated.” He also said that the bubble concept, which places Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan under the NCR Plus bubble, should continue to be adopted.
Meanwhile, David also said that the COVID-19 situation in the cities of Navotas, Malabon, Pasay and Manila has improved. He noted that the number of COVID-19 cases is decreasing faster in some LGUs in Metro Manila.
“In the NCR, the trends are generally stable. Some LGUs are decreasing faster than others or some have improved more considerably compared to others,” he said.
“For example, Navotas and Malabon. Navotas is already being downgraded to moderate risk while the rest are still high risk or borderline high risk. Manila and Pasay and Malabon have also improved significantly,” he added.
However, outside Metro Manila, David noted that COVID-19 cases are increasing in the cities of Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Zamboanga, and Cagayan de Oro.