NCR’s positivity rate breaches 10% – OCTA

The number of people who test positive for COVID-19 in the National Capital Region (NCR) continued to increase over the past week, findings of OCTA Research Group showed.

Data as of last Thursday revealed that 10.4 percent or one in every 10 COVID-19 tests conducted in the capital region yielded positive results, up from 8.3 percent five days prior on July 2.

Eight other provinces also recorded “high” positivity rates or those above 10 percent.

These include Antique (18.9 percent), Capiz (17.8 percent), Cavite (16.2 percent), Laguna (16.2 percent), Rizal (15.7 percent), Iloilo (10.9 percent) and Batangas (10.5 percent).

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a positivity rate of five percent or below to effectively manage the pandemic.

Meanwhile, five provinces recorded “moderate” positivity rates as of Thursday: Pangasinan (9.6 percent), Bataan (9.5 percent), Isabela (8.8 percent), Benguet (8.2 percent) and Bulacan (6.3 percent).

Given that the indicator is based on the total tests conducted, a high positivity rate does not necessarily mean high number of cases. Antique, for instance, recorded only five new cases on Friday.

OCTA monitoring showed that the NCR recorded 748 new cases out of the 1,712 reported by the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday.

It was followed by Cavite with 123, Iloilo with 98, Laguna with 91 and Rizal with 86.

Nationwide, there were 12,528 active COVID-19 cases, according to the DOH.

The DOH stressed that infections have been increasing and reminded the public to continue wearing best-fitted masks, isolate when sick, get vaccinated and avail of booster shots and ensure good ventilation in places they visit a lot. In the last 14 days, Metro Manila has recorded the biggest number of COVID-19 cases with 6,869.

It was followed by Region 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon or Calabarzon) with 2,915; Region 6 (Western Visayas) with 1,253; Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 1,134 and Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 662.