OCTA sees Davao City, W. Visayas emerging as COVID-19 epicenters

Davao City residents undergo swab tests. Image from Facebook/City Government of Davao

MANILA, Philippines — The OCTA Research Group is seeing Davao City and Western Visayas as an emerging COVID-19 epicenter after these areas recorded an increase in the number of new coronavirus infections.

“Andoon pa rin naman sa NCR Plus yung epicenter pero we could say there is a corresponding increase sa Mindanao areas, depends on the definition sa perspective ng person on what epicenter is,” OCTA Research fellow Prof. Guido David said in a televised briefing when asked if Davao City can be considered as a COVID-19 epicenter.

(The epicenter is still in NCR Plus but we could say there is a corresponding increase in Mindanao areas, depending on a person’s perspective on what an epicenter is.)

“From our perspective, we could say na it (Davao City) is also one of the epicenters ngayon along with Western Visayas,” he added.

(From our perspective, we could say that it is also one of the epicenters now along with Western Visayas.)

READ: More COVID beds needed in Visayas, Mindanao

The OCTA group earlier said Davao City has surpassed Quezon City in terms of average of new COVID-19 cases.

“Right now, most of the cases, yung increase in cases nakikita natin sa Mindanao. Not just in Davao City but also in other areas in Mindanao, sa South Cotabato, sa General Santos, sa Cotabato City, and other places, also in Western Visayas,” Guido said.

(Right now, most of the increase in cases we see are in Mindanao. Not just in Davao City, but also in other areas in Mindanao like South Cotabato, General Santos, Cotabato City, and also in Western Visayas.)

Davao City has already been placed under the strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until June 20 in a bid to slow down the coronavirus transmission.

In Metro Manila, Guido said there is a downward trend in COVID-19 cases though the number still averages “almost 1,000” daily.

EDV