Abalos expects NCR will slip to COVID-19 alert level 3 in October

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said Sunday that he is hopeful the National Capital Region would be placed under pandemic alert level 3 in October.

According to a report on "24 Oras" on Sunday, Abalos said the growth and reproduction rates of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are already decreasing.

"As far as numbers of growth rate is going down, reproduction rate, it is very very encouraging. Even vaccination itself, we reached levels na talagang mataas na (high inoculation level) sa Metro Manila," he said.

Earlier, the OCTA Research team said the reproduction number in Metro Manila  decreased to 0.94 from 0.97 on September 24.

Seven-day average daily cases in Metro Manila was at 4,220 with a one-week growth rate of -20%.

"In fairness, cases are continuing to decrease now, even though we have moved to a different restriction system or guidelines. A possible explanation is we have vaccinated a significant portion of the population... and maybe it's because people are more careful now," Professor Guido David said.

Metro Manila is currently classified under alert level 4 until September 30.

The country has so far recorded 2,490,858 COVID-19 cases with 2,292,006 recoveries and 37,405 fatalities. —LBG, GMA News