OCTA Research sees PH’s COVID-19 cases dropping to 300 a day by end-March

Test tube, coronavirus positive. STOCK PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 infections in the country may drop to as low as 300 cases per day by the end of March, which is similar to the trend seen before the Omicron-fueled surge earlier this year, the OCTA Research said Monday.

Dr. Guido David, a fellow of the pandemic monitor, said that COVID-19 cases continue to decline following the shift to Alert Level 1 in several areas, including Metro Manila.

“Medyo nag-slow down ‘yung pagbaba pero bumababa pa rin,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(The decline has slowed down but it continues to decrease.)

“Inaasahan natin na patuloy itong bababa by end of March, posibleng a few hundreds na lang ‘yan, baka 300 to 500 tulad noong nakita natin noong December last year bago pumasok ‘yung Omicron,” David added.

(We are expecting that the cases would further go down by the end of March, possibly it would be a few hundred only. Maybe 300 to 500 a day just like what we saw in December last year before the Omicron variant caused a surge.)

READ: DOH: COVID-19 pandemic still here despite Alert Level 1 in NCR, 38 other areas

During the start of 2022, the Omicron variant drove COVID-19 cases in the country to an unprecedented upsurge with the Department of Health recording as many as more than 30,000 fresh infections a day.

David said that to further sustain the decline of cases, people must continue to adhere to health protocols, especially the wearing of face masks, and get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

He attributed the decline of cases to vaccination and the “population protection” from those who were infected by COVID-19.

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