COVID-19 positivity rate in Zambales still high, says OCTA

The President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Iba town, Zambales serves as the main COVID-19 quarantine facility in the province. Independent analytics group OCTA Research said the virus positivity rate in the province remains high as of Feb. 11. (Photo by Joanna Rose Aglibot)

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — The province posted a 13-percent COVID-19 positivity rate, which is classified as high, independent analytics group OCTA Research said Friday, Feb. 11.

Citing data from the Department of Health, OCTA said Zambales is among the five provinces in Central Luzon with a high positivity rate, along with Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga.

Zambales’ average daily attack rate (Adar) was 3.73 per 100,000 population, which is considered moderate. Adar is the number of individuals found infected for every 100,000 people.

Despite this, the virus reproduction rate in the province was very low at 0.39. Its healthcare utilization rate was also low at 26 percent.

As of Thursday, the province has 169 active cases with two confirmed infections that day.

Since 2020, Zambales has recorded 11,438 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 11,009 recoveries. Its death toll stood at 640, reflecting a 6-percent mortality rate.

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