OCTA Research: NCR’s healthcare utilization similar to ‘best week’ in Dec 2021

Image: koto_feja/IStock.com via AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Healthcare utilization (HCUR) in Metro Manila is now “comparable” with the hospital occupancy during the “best week” of the COVID-19 situation in the region last December, independent analytics group OCTA Research said Wednesday.

Data shared by OCTA Research fellow Guido David on Twitter showed that the HCUR in Metro Manila from February 23 to March 1 is 24 percent – it was 19 percent from December 10-16, 2021.

“Healthcare utilization this week (February 23 to March 1) is comparable with HCUR during the best week of the NCR (December 10 to 16, 2021),” he said.

“The reproduction number is also currently lower compared to the best week. The ADAR (average daily attack rate) and testing positivity rate are still currently higher compared to the best week but we expect this to continue to decrease,” he added.

Based on the data shared by David, the COVID-19 reproduction in the capital region during the last seven days is 0.22, lower than the 0.39 posted from December 10-16. This count represents the number of new cases expected to occur from one positive case.

However, the current seven-day average of new cases is still higher at 285. It was 69 from December 10-16.

Metro Manila’s ADAR, or the number of new cases per day per 100,000 population, is currently 2.01, higher than the previous 0.49, OCTA Research also noted.

The positivity rate, meanwhile, is currently four percent which is still higher than the one percent logged in December.

Based on the health department’s report on Tuesday, Metro Manila has 19,419 active COVID-19 cases, including 236 additional cases. Nationwide, 51,592 are still sick due to the coronavirus including 1,067 new infections, it added.

RELATED STORIES

Metro Manila’s COVID-19 hospital bed, ICU utilization rates at low risk — Duque
Metro Manila’s COVID-19 positivity rate down to 4.9% — OCTA Research

KGA