STILL NO END IN SIGHT Health workers report for duty at Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. —RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — New COVID-19 cases recorded in Metro Manila on Sunday exceeded their peak in August and may continue to increase, independent pandemic monitor Octa Research said Monday.
Octa Research fellow Dr. Guido David said this after 1,600 additional COVID-19 infections were logged in the capital region on Sunday, September 25 surpassing the peak of 1,502 COVID-19 cases reported on August 7.
“The positivity rate rose from 15.7 percent to 18.5 percent, while the reproduction number increased from 1.21 to 1.30,” David said in a tweet, adding that it is higher than the 17.5 percent reported last August 5.
David also noted that the one-week growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the region nearly doubled from 13 percent on September 18 to 25 percent on Sunday.
He added that the healthcare utilization rate for COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila remains low at 36 percent.
“Cases are expected to increase further, but we expect hospital bed occupancy to remain at low levels,” David added.
On Sunday, the Philippines recorded 3,520 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 35,399, based on the Department of Health’s COVID-19 tracker. — Christian Paul Dela Cruz, INQUIRER.net trainee