Octa: NCR on ‘severe’ Covid-19 outbreak

MANILA. A police officer checks documents at a checkpoint as the government enforced another round of strict health restrictions to control the rise of Covid-19 cases at the outskirts of Quezon City in Manila, Philippines on Monday, January 10, 2022. (AP)

By: THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar Manila

THE National Capital Region (NCR) is experiencing a “severe outbreak” of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) following the increase in average daily attack rate (Adar) to 89.42 percent, Octa fellow Dr. Guido David said on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.

David said NCR’s Adar jumped to 89.42 percent (January 4 to 10) from just 12.71 percent in December 28, 2021 to January 3.

“The Adar increased to 89.41 (percent), which is above the Covidactnow threshold for a severe outbreak (greater than 75 per day per 100K),” David said.

He said the seven-day positivity rate increased to 48 percent, while the reproduction number decreased to 5.22 from 5.65.

He said the decrease in the reproduction number indicates a “slight” downtrend.

“Hospital bed occupancy increased to 57 percent and is likely to exceed 70 percent next week,” said David.

“Overall, NCR is classified as a very high risk,” he added.

The Philippines is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases believed to be due to the more transmissible Omicron variant.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the Omicron variant is the new dominant variant in the country, overthrowing the Delta strain.

The Department of Health on Monday, January 10, reported a total of 33,169 fresh Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day tally recorded so far since the pandemic began in 2020.

This has brought the country’s total active cases to 157,526.

The NCR is under Alert Level 3 until January 15.

In a press briefing, acting presidential spokesperson Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force will discuss the quarantine status in the country by Thursday, January 13.

“Ito ‘yung binabantayan natin total bed utilization pag pumalo ng 71 percent and higher to 84 percent, dito masasabi na i-alert level 4 na ang Metro Manila,” he said.

“As of the moment, hindi pa po tayo nagb-breach ng threshold na yan and that is why Metro Manila still remains under alert level 3,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)