OCTA: Hospital occupancy in Metro Manila close to lowest level

MANILA, Philippines — Healthcare utilization rate in the National Capital Region is now comparable with the hospital occupancy during the “best week” of the COVID-19 situation in the NCR last December before cases surged due to the Omicron variant, independent analytics group OCTA Research reported yesterday.

OCTA said the healthcare utilization rate in Metro Manila was 24 percent from Feb. 23 to March 1 – nearing the 19 percent from Dec. 10 to 16, 2021.

“Hospital bed occupancy is close to the lowest levels. The positivity rate is still higher, but this is expected to decrease further,” OCTA fellow Guido David said.

OCTA said the COVID-19 reproduction number of 0.22 is lower compared to the 0.39 from Dec. 10 to 16 last year.

“The average daily attack rate or ADAR and testing positivity rate are still higher, but we expect this to continue to decrease,” David said.

“We must follow health protocols so that the downward trends will be sustained,” he added.

David said Metro Manila’s current positivity rate is at four percent compared to one percent last December.

OCTA said the NCR remains at low risk category but if trends continue, the region is expected to further improve to very low risk in the next days or weeks.

The number of new COVID-19 infections per day was at its lowest from Dec. 10 to 16 before the Omicron variant caused a surge during the Christmas and New Year celebration