MANILA, Philippines — With the soaring number of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region, the OCTA Research Group yesterday said the NCR is experiencing a “severe” outbreak of the viral disease.
Citing data from the Department of Health, OCTA fellow Guido David said Metro Manila recorded an average of 12,661 new COVID-19 cases per day from Jan. 4 to 10, a jump from 1,800 daily infections compared to the previous week.
OCTA said the number of COVID-19 cases translates to a “severe” 89.42 daily new infections per 100,000 people, from a “high” 12.71 from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3.
The seven-day positivity rate, which measures the number of COVID-positive results out of the total tests conducted, also increased from a “high” 20 percent to “very high” 48 percent this week.
The reproduction number, which indicates the number of individuals that a COVID-positive person can infect, slightly dropped from 5.65 to 5.22.
OCTA said a continuing decrease must be recorded before a downward trend could be confirmed.
Hospital utilization also jumped from a “very low” 27 percent last week to “moderate” 57 percent, with David saying that it may reach the critical threshold of 70 percent next week.
He noted that the current hospital bed capacity for COVID-19 cases is nearing the maximum occupancy recorded during the Delta variant surge last year, although intensive care unit utilization is still at manageable levels.
“Overall, Metro Manila is classified as very high risk,” David said.
On Monday, the country recorded a new record-high of 33,169 COVID-19 cases, with 18,626 infections posted in Metro Manila.
Quezon City logged the highest number of COVID-19 cases with 4,668, followed by Manila (2,557), Pasig (1,443), Caloocan (1,321) and Makati with 1,103.
Following Metro Manila with the highest number of COVID cases are the adjacent provinces of Cavite with 2,411; Rizal, 2,292; Bulacan, 2,065, and Laguna with 1,876.
Outside Luzon, Cebu registered the most number of COVID-19 cases with 255, followed by Iloilo with 201 and Negros Occidental with 180.
In Pasay, all barangays in the city have recorded active COVID-19 cases, the local government said.
The city’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit said all 201 barangays in Pasay posted COVID-19 infections.
City hall said the number of active COVID-19 cases in Pasay ballooned to 2,404 on Monday.
Sixty-four communities were placed under localized enhanced community quarantine, affecting 829 houses.
P30-M fake medicines
Meanwhile, government agents arrested a Pakistani in Parañaque for alleged possession of P30 million worth of fake medicines, including drugs used as remedy for COVID-19 symptoms.
Adel Rajput, 31, was apprehended by the Bureau of Customs and other government agencies.
Rajput allegedly yielded counterfeit medicines imported from China and packed in cartons with markings of Chinese characters.
Some of the fake medicines reportedly seized from the suspect bear the brand names Biogesic, Neozep, Bioflu, Immunpro, Ivermectin, Phenokinon F Injection, Medicol, Planax, Alaxan FR and MX3. – Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan