OCTA: 3 Metro LGUs ‘very low risk’

MANILA, Philippines — Three local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila may now be considered as “very low risk” following the continued decline in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past week, the OCTA Research Group reported yesterday.

OCTA fellow Guido David said Navotas, Caloocan and Malabon recorded low average daily attack rates (ADAR) of less than two infections per 1,000 population.

From Nov. 4 to 10, Navotas posted an average of only one COVID-19 case per day. Caloocan and Malabon logged 22 and six new cases, respectively.

The figures translate to an ADAR of 0.37 for Navotas, 1.28 for Caloocan and 1.51 for Malabon.

Other Metro Manila LGUs are considered low risk based on indicators used by the independent research group.

During the same period, Metro Manila recorded an average of 365 daily new COVID-19 cases, down 46 percent from the preceding week.

The National Capital Region has an ADAR of 2.58 daily new COVID cases per 100,000 population and a reproduction rate of 0.37. Metro Manila’s positivity rate, which measures the number of infected persons out of the total tests conducted, further decreased to three percent.

David said the COVID-19 situation in Metro Manila has improved compared to last year, indicating a “better” Christmas for Filipinos.

He noted that in the first week of November, Metro Manila recorded an average of 501 new COVID cases per day and an ADAR of 3.63. The reproduction number at the time was at 0.78, while positivity rate reached six percent.

David attributed the continued drop in COVID-19 cases to the high vaccination rate, implementation of the alert level system and the people’s compliance with minimum health protocols.

OCTA earlier projected that the number of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis would further decrease in the coming weeks.