Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) — The independent research group OCTA on Monday listed nine areas of concern in Visayas and Mindanao due to high numbers of COVID-19 infections, including Davao City which it forecasts to soon log more new cases than any other city nationwide.
In its latest report, OCTA projected Davao City will surpass “before next week” Quezon City, which currently leads the list of cities with the biggest number of new cases in the country.
From May 31 to June 6, it said Davao City tallied 206 more infected residents — a 54% increase from the 134 confirmed the week before. While QC recorded a slightly higher number during the same period at 219, it reflects a decline of 22% from the previous week.
The average COVID-19 daily attack rate per 100,000 people in Davao City was at 11.34, according to OCTA. Its hospital bed utilization rate (HBUR) stood at 54%, while its ICU bed utilization rate (ICUR) was at 67%.
The other eight cities which the group flagged are Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, and Tuguegarao. All said areas saw a rise in the number of virus-hit residents over the past week, except for Tuguegarao which registered a 10% drop.
The highest growth rate was seen in Dumaguete, whose new infections jumped by 206%, or from 14 to 42. A significant increase was likewise recorded in Koronadal at 96%, Cotabato City at 62%, and Bacolod at 56%.
Figures from OCTA also showed while Tuguegarao’s weekly additional cases decreased from 69 to 63, its healthcare capacity has remained high with an 81% HBUR and 100% ICUR. It also noted healthcare utilization rates in the provinces of Iloilo, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan are also still at the danger level, which means at least 70% of hospital and ICU beds are occupied.
While the pandemic situation in a number of Visayas and Mindanao areas continue to worsen, new cases in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, and Cavite — collectively known as “NCR Plus” — have resumed a downward trajectory after a week of unstable trends, OCTA said.
In the last seven days, the virus’ reproduction rate in Metro Manila, or the number of people infected by a single patient, was at 0.74. The one-week growth rate, meanwhile, stood at negative 11%, while the positivity rate, or the number of infected individuals out of all tested, was at 9%.
According to the Department of Health, the country’s COVID-19 tally as of June 6 has reached 1,269,478, of which 59,337 or 4.7% are active cases. Recoveries are at 1,188,243, while deaths are at 21,898.
