NCR leads OCTA list of 20 areas with most new COVID-19 cases on Aug. 25, 2021

The OCTA Research group on Thursday identified the 20 areas in the country that recorded the most number of new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, with the National Capital Region leading the list.

A tweet by OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David shows the NCR with 3,627 new COVID-19 cases followed by Cavite with 1,281, Laguna with 779, Cebu with 733, and Pampanga with 626.

Modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) -- the second strictest quarantine classification -- has been imposed on the NCR as well as the provinces of Laguna and Bataan until August 31.

Under MECQ, indoor and al fresco dine-in are not allowed, and businesses are allowed to operate but only with limited manpower capacity. Religious gatherings, however, will remain virtual.

Also not allowed are personal care services including beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops and nail spas.

Even under the MECQ, local government units (LGUs) are allowed to conduct hard lockdowns in areas with clustering of COVID-19 cases.

On Wednesday, OCTA said the reproduction number of COVID-19 cases in the NCR has decreased to 1.53 but is still in "critical range.”

This is lower compared to NCR's reproduction number of 1.78 on August 18.

As of Wednesday, the Department of Health has reported a total of 1,883,088  COVID-19 cases with 13,573 new infections nationwide.

At least 125,378 are still active cases, the DOH said.  —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News