Independent monitoring group OCTA Research revealed Monday that the weekly COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) spiked to 25.4% as of May 13.
OCTA Research Fellow Guido David, in a tweet, said the positivity rate — or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested — in the capital region slightly went up from the 22.7% monitored on May 6.
The daily average of new coronavirus disease cases has increased by 31 percent from May 8 to 14, the Department of Health also reported Monday.
In its latest case bulletin, the DOH recorded 1,773 daily infections which is a 421-case increase from the 1,352 recorded between May 1 to 7. Additionally, there were 12,414 new cases in the recent week.
“High” positivity rates were also reported in several provinces in Luzon while Aklan province recorded a “very high” positivity rate with 56.9%.
“Seven-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,” David, quoted by GMA News, said.
OCTA further said in the Visayas, Leyte logged a 21% COVID-19 positivity rate, slightly lower than the 21.3% registered on May 6. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended threshold for the COVID-19 positivity rate is 5%.
The Department of Health (DOH) meanwhile reported that the country recorded 12,414 COVID-19 cases last week. From May 8 to 14, the daily average of COVID-19 cases has increased to 1,773, the DOH further said.
Reports said this is the ninth straight week that the number of weekly cases is above 1,000.
Of the latest infections, some 53 cases were considered severe or critical, the DOH’s latest case bulletin showed. As of Sunday, some 437 cases or 8.8 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the health department added.
Earlier, the DOH reported that the country logged over 2,000 new COVID-19 cases for the third straight day on Sunday as experts warned the public to be extra cautious with infections continuing to rise.
Some businesses have proactively resumed a mask mandate, with a popular grocery chain denying entry to customers not wear face coverings in their branches.
The country, however, has lifted its mask requirement, with President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. saying the Philippines had already been on
“normal footing” even before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared last week an end to the emergency phase of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Metro Manila had the highest number of new cases in the last 14 days, followed by Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, and Bicol
Region.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante underscored the need to make a renewed push for COVID-19 vaccination.
“Those who are unvaccinated can easily become critical cases. The elderly population is also at risk. If they are unvaccinated, there is
the risk that the COVID case will be severe,” Solante said.
Public health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon also called on the public to still observe coronavirus protocols to avoid getting infected.
“The number of new cases might be underestimated. But as I said, this should not be a cause for alarm but we should wear our face mask, use
alcohol, practice social distancing, and ensure the quality of our indoor air,” Leachon said.
Earlier, the Department of Health recommended to the Office of the President that there is no need to bring back the mask mandate despite
the uptick in COVID infections.
“Our policies do not need to be back and forth. We all need to help each other so that we can overcome this situation,” said DOH
Officer-in-Charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire.
She noted that cases will increase and decrease in our country because the virus is here.
“The virus will mutate and produce variants every now and then,” she said.
Nonetheless, Vergeire said the public should know how to protect themselves and their family — by choosing to wear a mask when going to
high-risk places, especially if they are unvaccinated, immunocompromised, senior citizens, or pregnant.