OCTA’s David: Metro Manila winning fight vs. Delta variant

Metro Manila, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, is winning against the more infectious Delta variant, Dr. Guido David of the OCTA Research said Monday.

At the Laging Handa brieging, David said the reproduction rate of COVID-19 in Metro Manila is at 0.63 which was last seen back in July 31 to August 6.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila, on the other hand, is at 12%.

“This rate is even going down. Our 7-day average in Metro Manila is less than 2,000 [cases]...around 1,900 plus. Positivity rate in Metro Manila is 12%, and we see it going down to less than 10%. When that happens, we can say we are testing enough in Metro Manila,” David said.

“We are managing COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila. We see that we are at the tailend of the Delta variant’s transmission in NCR (National Capital Region), as well as in surrounding areas of Calabarzon, Central Luzon. Delta variant is still there, but it has substantially fewer. Nananalo na tayo against the Delta variant (We are winning against the Delta variant),” David added.

David, however, said that this is not the time to be complacent since COVID-19 surges are still seen in the provinces, particularly in Region 2.

“There are surges, but the trend is better. Hopefully, we can average four digits of new COVID-19 cases by this week,” he said.

“The risk is still there because many of us are still unvaccinated,” he said.

At least 22.8 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

But this figure is way behind the government target of vaccinating 80% to 90% of the country’s 110 million population before May 9, 2022 polls. — RSJ, GMA News