NO GRIDLOCK Traffic is light at a usually busy section of the city center of Cagayan de Oro as residents choose to stay home due to quarantine restrictions and the rising cases of COVID-19 in the regional capital of Northern Mindanao. —JIGGER J. JERUSALEM
MANILA, Philippines — “Significant increases” in new COVID-19 cases have been observed in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Iloilo, the OCTA Research said Wednesday.
According to the latest monitoring report of the research group, Cagayan De Oro posted an average of 94 new daily cases from May 12 to 18, or 52 percent higher than the average cases from May 5 to 11.
On the other hand, Davao City had an average of 61 new daily cases for the last seven days, or 36 percent higher than the cases from the previous week, while Iloilo City recorded an average of 58 new cases, 99 percent higher than the number from the previous week.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 reproduction number was 0.80 over the past week in the entire country, and 0.54 in Metro Manila. Reproduction number is the average number of persons who may be infected by a COVID-19 positive individual. A lower reproduction number indicates there is less transmission of the virus.
“The most current seven-day average of daily new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines is 5,834, which is 11 percent lower compared to the previous week,” OCTA said.
Outside Metro Manila, Zamboanga City still recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases over the past week with an average of 158 new daily cases. However, this was only 4 percent higher as compared to the preceding week.
According to OCTA Research, new COVID-19 cases are on a downward trend in most local government units inside the NCR bubble.
“The NCR as of May 11 to 17 has an average daily attack rate of 9.91 per 100,000, which at less than 10 per 100,000 classifies it as moderate risk,” said OCTA.
Puerto Princesa City in Palawan meanwhile, had a weekly positivity rate of 87 percent as of May 16, the group noted.
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