OCTA sees daily COVID-19 cases in PH dropping to 3 digits by March

(FILE) A health employee of the Pagadian City government swabs a passenger from Manila on April 7 for coronavirus disease testing before entering the city. The test is provided free by the local government. Photo by Leah D. Agonoy, Inquirer Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — The number of daily COVID-19 cases is seen to further drop to only three digits by March, a member of the independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research Group said Wednesday.

This is if COVID-19 cases continue on in its current downward trend, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said.

“We’re hoping by March babalik na yan sa three digits basta tuluy tuloy na ‘yung pagbaba ng bilang ng kaso at walang mangyaring mga spike at major upticks,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(We’re hoping that by March, the number would be down to three digits. As long as cases continue to drop and there would be no spikes or major upticks.)

“By March, tingin natin ganun na rin ‘yung situation natin sa buong bansa,” he added.

(By March, we think that would be our situation in the country.)

The Philippines was able to log three-digit daily COVID-19 cases in December last year, before the Omicron-driven surge in January.

David said the recent surge of cases is already subsiding. This is seen not only by the decrease in the daily number of cases but also in the drop in the COVID-19 positivity and the hospital utilization rate.

“Yes, pababa na ba talaga yung surge. Hindi lang bumababa ‘yung cases, bumababa rin ‘yung positivity rate, bumababa rin ‘yung healthcare utilization rate,” he said.

(Yes, the surge is subsiding. Not only are the cases subsiding, but the positivity rate and the healthcare utilization rate are also decreasing.)

The Philippines logged 3,574 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest since this year started.

/MUF