OCTA says PH’s new COVID-19 cases could swell to 8,000 this Thursday

FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (greenish brown) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (pink), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — The number of new COVID-19 cases in the country may increase to around 8,000 this Thursday, OCTA Research said, as it revealed that reproduction number of coronavirus cases in Metro Manila is now considered high risk.

“We are expecting na today, baka magka-8,000 cases tayo na marereport [nationally]. Medyo mataas ‘yan,” Professor Guido David, a fellow of the independent pandemic monitor, said over ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(We are expecting to have 8,000 cases reported today. This is slightly higher.)

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,560 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. David acknowledged that OCTA’s projection for 8,000 cases is a big jump.

He noted that in Metro Manila, for instance, the average number of new COVID-19 cases was 600 last week, which increased to 800 this week. He added that Metro Manila’s reproduction number, or the number of cases estimated to stem from a single case, is now 1.15.

“The fact that it’s greater than 1, meaning nasa high risk na ‘yung reproduction number. Ibig sabihin bumibilis ‘yung pagtaas ng cases,” David said.

(The fact that it is greater than 1 means the reproduction number is at high risk. This means that cases are increasing at a faster rate.)

David also said that while further genome sequencing has yet to confirm if the Delta variant is driving the increase in cases in Metro Manila, there is a “big possibility” that the variant could be one of the factors in the rise of infections.

READ: OCTA fears local transmission of COVID-19 Delta variant

David then said Metro Manila and Cebu City should be more prioritized in vaccination.

“Sana mapabilis natin ang vaccination sa NCR. We really need it now. Sana i-reprioritize ang NCR sa vaccination, maybe NCR and Cebu City kasi dito may urgency. Sa ibang regions outside NCR and Cebu area, pababa na rin ang cases nila or at least stable na,” he explained.

(I hope we can speed up the vaccination in NCR. We really need it now. I hope we can re-prioritize NCR and Cebu City for vaccination because the urgency for vaccines is in these areas. Other regions outside NCR and Cebu have decreasing or stable trends in their cases.)

The DOH has so far confirmed 35 total cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the Philippines, including 11 that were detected locally.

RELATED STORIES

OCTA: Enforce more restrictions to prevent Delta variant outbreak
Alert up for possible COVID-19 Delta variant surge

KGA