Metro Manila’s weekly new COVID-19 cases up 56% — OCTA

(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila’s  new COVID-19 cases per week increased by 56%, from 264 new cases on November 24 to 411 cases on December 1, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said on Friday. 

David added that Metro Manila’s COVID-19 positivity rate also increased from 9.4% on November 23 to 11.9% as of November 30. 

“This rate of increase in the positivity rate in the NCR is around the same rate of increase during the omicron BA.5 wave (from June) and the XBB (from September). This projects to a December BQ.1 wave similar to the toe BE.5 and XBB waves,” David pointed out in a Twitter post. 

NCR daily new cases up from 264 to 411 with one week growth rate of 56%. Positivity rate increased from 9.4% to 11.9%. HCUR remained LOW at 28%. The BQ5 wave is expected to be similar to the BA5 and XBB waves #COVID19 #Covid @dzbb @DZAR1026 @News5PH @dzrhnews @allangatus @dwiz882 pic.twitter.com/pZgKAMAJjV

— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) December 1, 2022

The Department of Health has previously reported a total of 14 cases of the BQ.1 variant, and it was described by DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire as “more transmissible and highly immune-evasive compared to the other sub-variants of Omicron.”

David also stated that the reproduction number has increased, from 1.11 on November 21 to 1.32 on November 28. The average daily attack is also at 2.85 per 100,000 people. 

The healthcare utilization rate is low, said David, despite a slight increase from 26% on November 23 to 28% on November 30. 

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