Holiday COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila ‘weaker than expected’ —OCTA experts

The expected surge in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Metro Manila due to the holiday season was “weaker than expected,” experts from the OCTA Research group said Wednesday.

According to Joseph Morong’s “24 Oras” report, the experts cited data from the past two weeks showing that the reproduction number of COVID-19 in the capital region decreased.

The reproduction number in Metro Manila is currently at 1.07 from 1.08 on Tuesday.

“The trend lines… moving slightly downward indicate that the holiday surge in NCR was much weaker than expected,” the experts said.

“It remains to be seen if the recent Black Nazarene festival will have any effect on the pandemic, but early indications do not point to a possible surge.”

The reproduction of the entire country also dipped to 1.13 from 1.15 on Tuesday.

Professor Guido David said the government could proceed with its plan to lift quarantine restriction in areas at low risk for COVID-19 transmission.

"In low-risk areas, we can do this gradually. But in the major metropolitan areas that are highly sensitive to any changes and susceptible to outbreaks, we should do our best to keep the pandemic in check especially now that the vaccine is around the corner,” he said.

The Philippines has tallied 505,939 cases with over 10,000 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News