New COVID-19 cases down in NCR
MANILA — Metro Manila’s seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases continued to be on the decline, OCTA Research said Friday, with all hospitals in the capital region now out of the critical level.
In its October 22 monitoring, the independent panel of experts said average new infections in Metro Manila were down from 1,824 to 1,044.
The virus’s reproduction rate in the capital region also declined from 0.59 to 0.46. This refers to the number of persons a COVID-19 positive individual can infect.
Still, the positivity rate here remained at 8%, OCTA added.
The continuing decrease in new cases has pushed the national government to put Metro Manila under Alert Level 3 status of its pilot granular lockdown.
It meant the easing of more restrictions, with higher capacity allowed in establishments as well as increased mobility permitted for individuals.
The Department of Health has said it is possible now to see more curbs relaxed as Christmas season approaches.
But officials have also sought to remind Filipinos that crowding in public places could lead to another surge, such as photos shown on social media where many flocked to the artificial dolomite beach in Manila Bay.
OCTA Research added Metro Manila’s health care utilization also dropped from 47% to 40% this week, while ICU occupancy from 61% to now at 52%.
No local government has reported critical level status in both hospital and ICU bed capacity.
But cities still under “high” level in its ICU are Muntinlupa at 82% and Makati at 74%.
Quezon City is at moderate level for ICU at 62%, while the figure was not available for Navotas.
On the average daily attack rate, only three LGUs are under high level: San Juan at 13.58, Taguig at 11.68, and Mandaluyong at 11.46.
ADAR is the number of cases in an area over a twoweek period, divided by the population there. The figure for the entire Metro Manila is at 7.40.
The Philippines has tallied over 2.74 million coronavirus cases, months after it battled a deadly surge in infections that experts attributed to the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19.
Authorities have also reported 41,237 deaths as well.