Slight drop in average COVID-19 daily cases due to NCR Plus bubble, lockdowns –DOH

A slight decrease in the daily average of reported COVID-19 cases was observed after the government designated a "National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble" and enforced localized lockdowns, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Saturday.

Interviewed at the Laging Handa public briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the transmission rate, or R-naught, had a slight decrease from the previous two weeks and past months' rates.

"Aside from the ECQ na ginawa natin, mukhang nagkakaroon ng epekto even 'yung naumpisahan nating mga NCR Plus bubble and localized lockdowns. So ngayon nakakakita tayo ng kaunting pagbaba sa average daily reported cases natin."

(Aside from the ECQ, it seemed the NCR Plus bubble and localized lockdowns we started had an effect. We now see a slight decrease in our average daily reported cases.)

This week's average daily COVID-19 cases was down to 9,556, from the 10,858 average daily cases last week.

"Gusto pa rin po nating bantayan itong nakikita natin at ayaw pa rin nating maging complacent tayong lahat para magtuloy-tuloy na po ito sa pagbaba," Vergeire said.

(We still want to monitor what we have observed and we don't want to be complacent so that this will continue to slow down.)

The Philippines on Friday reported 8,719 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, bringing the total to 979,740. — DVM, GMA News