OCTA Research: Cebu City now ‘very low risk’ for COVID-19

FEW VISITORS Cebu City’s Magellan’s Cross used to teem with visitors but the popular tourist destination has had none for months amid pandemic restrictions. —DALE G. ISRAEL

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu City is now classified as “very low risk” for COVID-19 outbreak as it recorded only an average of 18 new cases from October 20 to 26, the OCTA Research group said Wednesday.

According to the report of OCTA Research, the incidence rate or average daily attack rate (Adar) in Cebu City is only 1.72 per 100,000 people per day, while the COVID reproduction number is 0.42.

Healthcare utilization is also low at 19 percent and the positivity rate is just at two percent.

OCTA Research uses the indicators of covidactnow.org in classifying the risk levels in specific areas, which does not reflect the alert level ratings being used by the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Bulacan, Batangas, and Davao City, which are also part of NCR Plus 8, are classified as low risk.

The COVID reproduction number in Metro Manila was at 0.52 while the Adar is 6.73 per 100,000 people per day. The positivity rate was at 6 percent and the health care utilization rate (HCUR) was 35 percent.

The HCUR in Cavite, Bulacan, Batangas, and Davao City are all less than 60 percent. However, OCTA Research noted that the occupancy rate at intensive care units in Rizal was at a critical level at 94 percent.

“Only Laguna and Pampanga are still considered moderate risk. The reason for this is the testing positivity rates in these two provinces were still greater than 10%,” OCTA said.

“Once the positivity rate drops to 10%, Laguna and Pampanga will likely be classified as low risk as well,” the group added.

/MUF