In a statement, Taguig explained the 342 is the total of all types of cases, including those which it noted should have been excluded from the count, such as “positive cases that have already recovered, cases that turned out to be negative, presumptive positive cases, equivocal cases, inconclusive cases, and those awaiting test results.”
Fort Bonifacio currently has 42 active cases among its estimated 100,000 population, according to the local government.
“Taguig City has remained among the cities with the lowest reproduction rate, active cases per 100,000 and fatality rate. It is also among the cities with the highest number of RT-PCR tests made,” the statement added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25) — The number of people getting infected by each COVID-19 patient in the capital region is seeing a slight improvement, but the OCTA Research Group on Thursday flagged the continuing dwindling capacity of hospitals in the region to treat those needing critical care.
The reproduction number in Metro Manila is now at 1.91, compared to the 1.99 on Wednesday. The lower the reproduction number means fewer people are contracting the virus after coming in contact with a COVID-19 case. OCTA, however, said it is too early to claim victory. The region remains under the “high risk” classification after its daily attack rate increased to 27.2 per 100,000 of the population.
“It is too early to tell if this is the beginning of a hoped-for downward trend in the reproduction number,” the independent research group said in its report.
OCTA Research fellow Guido David said they hope to see the effect of the two-week “bubble” set up over Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan to the reproduction number. He said if it goes down to 1.5 in by April 4, then it means it is working, but he stressed the need to continue its implementation beyond Easter Sunday.
“If it decreases after two weeks to around 1.5, we are probably on track for a decrease if we extend it further. We will probably know by next week if this bubble is having a big effect on the trend or just a small effect. We will have to have a sustained trend,” he told CNN Philippines.
David added the government has to impose additional restrictions if the reproductive number is not decreasing fast enough.
OCTA recommended placing NCR Plus under a four-week “soft modified enhanced community quarantine” to completely curb the alarming spike of new cases. Among the features of a “soft MECQ” include allowing public transportation to run and some businesses to still operate so that people can still go to work. However, border controls shall be strictly enforced. They also suggested placing nearby provinces Batangas and Pampanga inside the bubble.
ICU capacity
The capacity of Metro Manila hospitals to take in COVID-19 patients that need to be admitted in the intensive care unit is now at high-risk classification. OCTA reported it went up two percentage points in a span of one day, from 69% ICU occupancy on Monday to 71% on Tuesday. Bed occupancy for COVID-19 patients is at 61% from 60%.
Dozens of hospitals in Metro Manila have hit critical level in terms of bed occupancy for COVID-19 cases, forcing new patients to go around the region just to find a healthcare facility that can accommodate them.
Barangays in Metro Manila recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases in the country from March 18 to 24, with Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City topping the list with 342 cases, according to OCTA. However, the Taguig City government corrected the figures, saying the city only listed 116 infections during that period.
