Uptick in COVID cases recorded in parts of Calabarzon, Benguet, Iloilo — Octa

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from Metro Manila, parts of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Benguet, and Iloilo are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, independent analytics group Octa Research said Tuesday.

In a Laging Handa public briefing, Octa Research fellow Guido David was asked what other areas in the country are having a rise in COVID-19 infections apart from the National Capital Region (NCR).

“At this time, parts of Calabarzon, specifically sa  Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, sumasabay sila sa Metro Manila. Tumataas na rin sila,” he replied.

(In parts of Calabarzon, specifically in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, there has been an increase in cases simultaneous with Metro Manila.)

“’Yung sa Benguet, nagsisimula na rin, may pagtaas ng kaso, at saka sa Western Visayas, specifically sa Iloilo area. Ito ‘yung mga nakikitaan natin ng pagtaas ng kaso,” he added.

(In Benguet, it is starting, there is a rise in cases. And in Western Visayas, specifically in the Iloilo area. These are the places where we observed an increase in cases.)

David noted that it will be “just a matter of time” before other provinces also record an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

READ: Another ‘peak’ in COVID cases starting – DOH

“It’s probably just a matter of time na ‘yung ibang mga probinsya ay magkakaroon na rin ng pagtaas ng bilang ng kaso,” he said.

(It’s probably just a matter of time that other provinces will have an increase in the number of cases.)

David noted that Metro Manila’s reproduction number is at 2.05, which means that a COVID-19-infected person can spread the virus to two other people.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, said in an interview on Monday night that the daily average of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila soared to 255 from 130. Positivity rate in NCR likewise climbed from 2.9 percent to 4.4 percent.

She earlier attributed the rising infections to the eased mobility, presence of subvariants, and waning vaccine immunity.

To date, the country has 4,740 active COVID-19 cases, including 529 new infections recorded on Monday.

EDV