Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 15) — The rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 has reached 25% in Metro Manila—the same level when the capital faced the Delta wave in 2021, OCTA Research said Monday.
In a Twitter post, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the National Capital Region’s (NCR) positivity rate was at 25.4% as of May 13, slightly higher than the 22.7% seen a week earlier.
7-day positivity rates in NCR and other provinces in Luzon. In NCR it increased slightly from 22.7% to 25.4%. High positivity rates seen in Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Oriental Mindoro, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal. #COVID19 #covid @dzbb pic.twitter.com/Rn49C3pUiR
— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) May 14, 2023
Earlier this month, David told CNN Philippines that NCR hit the 25% mark during the Delta wave, while its highest positivity rate of over 50% was recorded during the first Omicron wave in January 2022.
The OCTA Research member also said they witnessed surging positivity rates in 12 more provinces, with Camarines Sur, Quezon, and Rizal posting more than 40% positivity rate.
Other provinces that had “high” positivity rates include Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Oriental Mindoro, and Pampanga.
In the Visayas, Aklan had “a very high” positivity rate at 56.9%, while Leyte recorded 21%.
The COVID-19 positivity rates in other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao are “moderate,” David said.
In its weekly bulletin released May 8, the Department of Health said the Philippines logged 9,465 new COVID-19 cases from May 1 to 7.
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ Balitaan, David said Arcturus, one of the Omicron subvariants, could be “one of the drivers of this current surge in cases.”
Asked if Filipinos should be concerned, David said that it is “not alarming so far.”
“But there are some deaths, severe cases, so we should be informed, lalo na ‘yung mga vulnerable na mag-ingat lalo ngayong tumataas ang cases (especially those vulnerable to be extra careful as the cases rise),” he said.
