COVID-19 positivity rises in PH further to 13.5%, says Octa Research

FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — The COVID-19 positivity rate in the country significantly increased to 13.5 percent, independent pandemic monitor Octa Research said Thursday.

The positivity rate is almost thrice the ideal threshold the World Health Organization set.

Octa Research fellow Guido David noted the latest COVID-19 count of the Department of Health – 781 new cases – higher than the 506 new infections registered on Wednesday, April 26, and almost double the 450 daily average cases recorded from April 17-23.

READ: COVID-19 positivity rate in PH rises to 12.9%

“274 cases in NCR, 51 in Davao del Sur, 38 in Laguna. Projecting 900-1,100 new cases on 4.28.23 [April 28, 2023],” David said on Twitter.

But the DOH has been assuring the public that there is no need to panic despite the rising positivity rate because the health utilization rate remains low across the country.

READ: DOH: Low COVID-19 health utilization rate means we’re okay, no need to panic

The COVID-19 positivity rate alone cannot fully determine the country’s pandemic status, said Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, who added that the rate is only calculated based on a small fraction of the total number of RT-PCR tests conducted last year.

Metro Manila’s positivity rate to go higher

David, in a separately posted data, also said that the seven-day positivity rate in Metro Manila jumped from 8.4 percent on April 19 to 13.4 percent on April 26.

“This is expected to increase further, perhaps up to 20 percent,” he asserted.