NCR’s COVID-19 reproduction number climbs slightly but still below 1 —OCTA

The virus reproduction number in the National Capital Region (NCR) slightly went up on Sunday, according to the OCTA Research group. 

In an update on Monday, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said the reproduction number— which refers to the number of people that one COVID-19 case can infect— stood at 0.98, up from 0.94 last Saturday. 

“The reproduction number of 0.98 was within the error range of previous days,” David said on Twitter, adding the one-week growth rate of cases was -15%. 

Metro Manila reported 5,653 new cases on Sunday possibly due to backlogs, he said. 

“A single day spike does not change the overall trends we are seeing, so let’s hope the downtrend continues,” David said.

On Sunday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said that he was hopeful the NCR would be placed under pandemic alert level 3

He said the growth and reproduction rates of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are already decreasing.

Metro Manila is currently classified under alert level 4— the second highest alert level in the new scheme— until September 30.

The country's virus reproduction number meanwhile was at 0.98, David said on Saturday.

He also said the country's COVID-19 case growth rate decreased to -13%.

The Department of Health reported 20,755 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, bringing the country's total caseload to 2,490,858.

Active cases in the country are at 161,447; total recoveries at 2,292,006; and the death toll at 37,405. —KG, GMA News