Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) – The National Capital Region (NCR) has recorded an increase in new COVID-19 cases over the past week, OCTA Research reported on Friday.
The independent research group said the daily average number of new infections in Metro Manila rose to 71 from 59 – or by 19% – during the May 13-19 period, compared to the preceding week.
The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the recent uptick in infections, but it said its data indicate the increase was just by 17%. DOH explained to CNN Philippines that its records show Metro Manila logged an average of 69 – not 71 – new cases daily the past week.
Over 3.62 million patients have recovered, while 60,452 were confirmed to have been killed by the viral disease.
Meanwhile, OCTA also reported that the region’s reproduction rate – or the number of people infected by a single case – climbed from 0.76 to 0.90, or from “low” to “moderate” classification.
It added that the one-week average daily attack rate – or the number of new cases daily per 100,000 population – slightly rose from 0.42 to 0.50.
NCR’s positivity rate remained at 1.2%, with an average of 11,476 tests conducted daily, while its hospital care utilization rate also didn’t move at 22%.
Overall, OCTA noted that NCR remains at “low risk” for COVID-19.
The health department also pointed out that the two-week growth rate in the region is still negative at -17%.
“Moreover, this slight increase in cases [does] not translate into increases in admissions or utilization rates which remain at low risk ranging 19-23% of total and ICU beds in the capital region,” DOH said.
Based on the latest government data, the country has 2,139 active COVID-19 cases after 195 were added on May 19. This is out of a total of over 3.68 million people infected since the pandemic started.
