OCTA Research forecast: 2,500 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 31

Parents and children relax at a public park, as the country’s capital region loosens coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Quezon City on November 2, 2021. (REUTERS)

MANILA, Philippines — The country may see more than 2,500 new COVID-19 cases on Friday ahead of New Year, independent analytics group OCTA Research said.

“New COVID-19 cases in the NCR (National Capital Region) will likely continue to increase as the positivity rate hits more than 14 percent. More than 2,000 new cases is possible on December 31, with more than 2,500 new cases nationwide,” OCTA Research fellow Guido David said over Twitter on Thursday night.

“The rate of increase is dramatic, and we should really comply strictly with minimum public health standards and reduce social and mass gatherings,” he stressed.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David (Screengrab from Pandesal Forum-Kamuning Bakery Cafe Facebook Live)

The country is seeing an uptick in the number of new COVID-19 cases after a decline in early December.

According to OCTA Research, Metro Manila is now considered moderate risk from the previous very low risk.

On Thursday, the country recorded 1,623 new COVID-19 cases, higher than less than 500 new cases per day in the previous weeks.

The positivity rate also rose to 6.6 percent, compared to less than one in the previous weeks.

A woman is subjected to a COVID-19 swab test at the UP-Philippine General Hospital, Manila. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON)

The Department of Health (DOH) has said that cases are expected to increase “due to the holiday-related mobility and reduced compliance to minimum public health standards.”

“We cannot still be certain that the increase in cases is due to the Omicron variant,” the DOH said.

Amid the uptick in new cases, the government has declared that the Philippines will remain under Alert Level 2 until January 15.

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