Metro Manila now at high risk for COVID-19 transmission – OCTA Research

Metro Manila skyline by night (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JILSON SECKLER TIU)

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila is now at high-risk for COVID-19 transmission as its positivity rate has further increased to 28.03 percent, Dr. Guido David, a fellow at independent monitoring group OCTA Research said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

The seven-day average positivity rate in Metro Manila increased from 1.15 percent recorded in the previous week to 12.94 percent, David said.

David explained that the expected decrease in testing due to the holidays was “offset by the increase in positivity rate, which was at 21% just a day prior.”

“This means the number of new cases will be in the same range of January 1, 2500 to 3000 in NCR and 3500 to 4000 in the Philippines,” he said.

READ: OCTA: PH may see 4,000 new COVID-19 cases on New Year’s Day

“With the increase in positivity rate, NCR is now classified as high risk,” he added.

The NCR, which stands for National Capital Region, refers to Metro Manila.

As of Dec. 31, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal were all under moderate risk level for COVID-19 transmission with critical levels of infection rate.

In an earlier statement, David also said that Metro Manila’s reproduction number increased to 4.05.

READ: COVID-19 reproduction number in NCR rises to 4.05 – OCTA fellow

On Saturday, the Department of Health reported 3,617 new COVID-19 infections, the highest since Oct. 10, further increasing the positivity rate nationwide to 14.8 percent.

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