Octa: NCR COVID-19 positivity rate up; reproduction number drops

(FILE) As employees are gradually recalled to their workplaces amid the pandemic, people spend longer time in the queue to get a ride, like these commuters on Monday at the North Avenue station of the Edsa Carousel, a bus rapid transit line along Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila saw a slight uptick in its seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate while the reproduction number dropped this week, the independent pandemic monitor Octa Research Group said.

Octa fellow Dr. Guido David said Metro Manila’s positivity rate climbed to 18.9% as of September 28 from the 17.55% recorded as of September 21.

NCR 7-day positivity rate went up slightly to 18.9%. The reproduction number decreased to 1.10 while the ADAR remained at MODERATE at 7.42 per 100k. Meanwhile, Covid HCUR remained LOW at 35% while ICU occupancy also remained LOW at 29%. #COVID19 @dzbb @DZAR1026 @News5PH @dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/22Wwa4YwZ7

— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) September 29, 2022

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 reproduction dropped to 1.10 as of September 26 from the 1.28 logged as of September 19.

“The growth of new cases in the NCR (National Capital Region) may have slowed, but cases are still rising,” Guido said in a Twitter post on Thursday night.

David also said the average daily COVID-19 attack rate in Metro Manila remained “moderate” at 7.42 cases per day per 100,000 cases.

Meanwhile, the healthcare utilization rate for COVID-19 remained “low” at 35% as of September 28, which is a decline from the 38% recorded on September 21, he added.

Intensive care unit occupancy also remained low at 29%.

With this, David said NCR is at “moderate risk” classification for COVID-19.

/MUF