OCTA lists 9 LGUs of concern for COVID-19 in Visayas, Mindanao

Davao City residents undergo swab tests. Image from Facebook/City Government of Davao

MANILA, Philippines — OCTA Research has tagged nine local government units (LGUs), mostly in Visayas and Mindanao, as areas of concern for COVID-19 after these regions saw an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Based on the monitoring report of the OCTA Research on Monday, the LGUs of concern are Bacolod, Iloilo City, Dumaguete, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato City and Tuguegarao.

According to OCTA, Bacolod, Koronadal, Cotabato City, Davao City and Dumaguete recorded COVID-19 growth rates that are higher than 50 percent from May 31 to June 6.

OCTA also warned that Davao City may surpass Quezon City in the highest number of new cases before next week.

Davao City recorded a 54 percent growth rate and an 11.34 average daily attack rate (ADAR) while Dumaguete posted the highest growth rate at 206 percent with ADAR at 30.57 and ICU rate at 94 percent.

NCR Plus, on the other hand, resumed a downward trajectory of COVID-19 cases after a week of “unstable trends,” according to the research group. OCTA said NCR’s reproduction rate from May 31 to June 6 was 0.74, while the week’s growth-rate in new cases was -11 percent and a positivity rate of nine percent.

Healthcare utilization rates, meanwhile, remained high in the provinces of Iloilo, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan.

The country has so far tallied 1,269,478 total confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. Of this number, 59,337 remain as active cases. — Faith Yuen Wei Ragasa, Inquirer trainee

EDV