OCTA: 'Very high' COVID-19 positivity rates seen in Camarines Sur, 13 other areas

The COVID-19 positivity rates in Camarines Sur and 13 other areas registered "very high" as of August 6, independent research group OCTA Research said Monday.

The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

Camarines Sur had a positivity rate of 48.7%, a big jump from the 30.3% the province had on July 30.

The other areas which had "very high" (above 20%) positivity rates are:

1. Isabela: 47.6% (from 35.7% on July 30)
2. Tarlac: 41.9% (from 33.1% on July 30)
3. Nueva Ecija: 38.4% (from 25.0% on July 30)
4. Pampanga: 35.0% (from 23.3% on July 30)
5. Laguna: 33.2% (from 30.9% on July 30)
6. Cagayan: 30.5% (from 22.2% on July 30)
7. La Union: 29.4% (from 24.0% on July 30)
8. Zambales: 28.6% (from 27.1% on July 30)
9. Albay: 28.2% (from 25.8% on July 30)
10. Quezon: 25.1% (from 26.6% on July 30)
11. Pangasinan: 25.0% (from 21.1% on July 30)
12. Benguet: 22.0% (from 18.3% on July 30)
13. Cavite: 21.1% (from 26.6% on July 30)

OCTA Research made the tally using data from the Department of Health (DOH).

The positivity rates however, decreased in some areas in the one-week period from July 30 to August 6. 

These areas are Bataan (from 20.8% to 13.2%), Batangas (from 15.7% to 15.2%), Cavite (from 26.6% to 21.1%), Ilocos Norte (from 10.4% to 9.9%), Quezon (from 26.6% to 25.1%), and Rizal (from 21.3% to 18.8%).

Ilocos Norte had the lowest COVID-19 positivity rate (9.9%) as of August 6 among the areas reported.

"In NCR, the PR [positivity rate] increased from 15.5% to 17.5%," OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said on Twitter.

Visayas, Mindanao

Meanwhile, five provinces outside of Luzon also posted a “very high” positivity rate as of August 6, according to OCTA.

The highest positivity rate was recorded in Capiz with 64%, a big jump from the 51.2% recorded on July 30.

“The PR (positivity rate) in Capiz reached 64%, almost as high as its peak in January 2022,” David said.

This was followed by Aklan with a 40.1% positivity rate, Bohol with 26.9%, Negros Oriental with 23.4%, and Palawan with 20.4%.

Positivity rate also increased in the following areas in Visayas and Mindanao:

• Misamis Oriental: 18.4% (from 17.2% on July 30)
• Zamboanga del Sur: 16.9% (from 11.7% on July 30)
• Lanao del Norte: 16.7% (from 4.8% on July 30)
• Iloilo: 16.1% (from 15.2% on July 30)
• South Cotabato: 15.9% (from 15.2% on July 30)
• Leyte: 13.9% (from 10.7% on July 30)
• Cebu: 13.3% (from 12.3% on July 30)
• Negros Occidental: 10.4% (from 8.7% on July 30)
• Davao del Sur: 10.1% (from 9.4% on July 30)
• Davao del Norte: 5.4% (from 3.2% on July 30)

Centaurus

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, OCTA Research fellow Professor Ranjit Rye said that the increase in COVID-19 cases may possibly be attributed to the entry of the Omicron subvariant BA 2.75 or “Centaurus” in the Philippines.

“‘Yung hypothesis ng OCTA Research about three weeks ago, nu'ng nakikita na naming bumaba, biglang tumaas. Baka posibleng ito nga’y dulot ng isa pang bagong variant na nag-overlap ‘yung kanilang weight,” he said.

(About three weeks ago, we saw the cases going down then it suddenly went up again. It is possible that this was due to another variant.)

He also said that another factor could be the reduced compliance to the minimum public health standards such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing.

Rye also pointed out that the reported COVID-19 cases nowadays may not be the real number as many people do not want to get tested.

“More than 50% ang binaba ng ating testing at ayan ang issue na malaki (our COVID-19 testing went down to over 50% and that is a big issue),” he said.

The DOH on Sunday recorded 4,621 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the total nationwide caseload to 3,803,955.

This is the fourth straight day with more than 4,000 new infections.

Active cases numbered 37,805 as of Saturday.

The number of recoveries climbed to 3,705,343 while the death toll rose by 18 to 60,807. —KG, GMA News