COVID-19 positivity rate hits 21% in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The seven-day positivity rate in Metro Manila soared to 21 percent over the weekend as the government advised the public to wear face masks during social gatherings.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the weekly positivity rate of 21 percent recorded on Sunday in the capital region was higher than the 13.4 percent on Dec. 10.

“This is only the fifth time since 2020 that the positivity rate exceeded 20 percent,” he said in a post on X.

The current positivity rate, or the number of individuals currently ill with COVID-19 out of samples tested by laboratories, was above the benchmark of below 5 percent or less to indicate containment of the virus in an area.

—KATHLEEN DE VILLA