COVID-19 situation improving in NCR but quarantine downgrade still 'premature' –UP expert

An expert from the University of the Philippines on Tuesday said the COVID-19 situation in the Metro Manila has been improving although it is still "premature" to downgrade its quarantine status.

“The R for the Philippines is .92 and the R for (National Capital Region) is .83. These numbers are below 1 which is good,” Professor Ranjit Rye of the UP-OCTA Research team told reporters.

Rye said the downward trend had to be sustained for a “few more weeks” before considering a downgrade of community quarantine status in the capital region.

“We caution [the government] with regards to prematurely downgrading the quarantine status of the NCR. This decision should only be made if there is supporting data and only on the advice of health experts,” he said.

He also encouraged the public to "sustain the positive momentum."

Based on UP-OCTA’s research, the Philippines’ positivity rate remained high at 10.4 percent — double the World Health Organization’s benchmark of five percent or lower.

“Case doubling rate is 11 days, which is faring better but still below the (Inter-Agency Task Force) rate of 28 days for (modified general community quarantine,)” Rye said.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila under a less restrictive general community quarantine from September 1 to 30.

Cases of COVID-19 in the country reached 291,798 on Tuesday with 5,049 deaths and 230,643 recoveries.

Metro Manila still logged the highest number of new infections at 583, followed by Cavite with 102, Iloilo with 97, Rizal with 67, and Cebu with 57. — DVM/KBK, GMA News