COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila up 51% from last week — OCTA

MANILA, Philippines — OCTA Research on Monday said COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila were up by 51% from last week, or up by an average of 3,262 cases per day.

The independent panel of experts noted the increase between August 9 to 15, against the 2,163 from the week before that or from August 2 to 8.

In its latest forecast, OCTA said the COVID-19 average daily attack rate in 12 areas is at critical level. ADAR refers to the number of new infections in a place over a two-week period, divided by the population there.

Navotas had the highest ADAR at 44.72 in the region, followed by Makati with 39.25 and Pateros with 39.02. 

"The one-week incidence or ADAR was 23.36 per day per 100,000," experts said, referring to the whole of Metro Manila, "which puts NCR under high-risk classification."

Hospital occupancy up

OCTA added that ICU beds in the captial region are 71% occupied while hospital bed occupancy is at 63%. 

Hopsital occupancy in the cities of Makati, San Juan, Pasay, Las Piñas, Taguig, and Quezon City, and the municipality of Pateros are all above 70%.

Meanwhile, ICU occupancy has reached critical levels in Pateros (100%), San Juan (100%), Marikina (94%), Las Piñas (93%) and Taguig (92%).

Metro Manila is under Enhanced Community Quarantine, the strictest type of lockdown, until August 20.

ECQ may be extended but the government task force on pandemic response has yet to decide on that.

On Monday, health authorities reported 14,610 new coronavirus cases. That count is the third highest since the pandemic began last year. 

It was also the third straight day of officials seeing 14,000 more infections. For last week, OCTA said the country averaged 11,000 additional cases. — Christian Deiparine