NCR COVID-19 positivity rate up, may surpass previous peak —OCTA

The weekly COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) has increased to 14.5%, independent monitoring group OCTA Research said on Friday.

According to OCTA, the weekly positivity rate in the NCR rose to 14.5% as of September 14 from 12.7% as of September 7.

The group said the current positivity rate may surpass the region’s previous peak of 17.5%, which was recorded on August 5.

“There is a possibility that this current resurgence will exceed this number,” OCTA said on Twitter.

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

OCTA said NCR remains at moderate risk for COVID-19 with an average daily attack rate of 6.12 per 100,000 population.

Meanwhile, OCTA said the region’s reproduction number slightly rose to 1.14 as of September 12 from 10.3 on September 5.

Reproduction number refers to the number of people infected by one case. A reproduction number below 1 indicates that the transmission of the virus is slowing down.

According to OCTA, the one-week growth rate in NCR also increased to 18% from -4%.

The group said healthcare utilization also increased to 39% or 2,522 occupied beds as of September 14 from 36% or 2,319 occupied beds as of September 5.

Over the same period, ICU occupancy also went up to 33% from 24%.

“These are still considered low. The rise in cases in the NCR is likely to cause a corresponding rise in infections in nearby regions; Rizal and Bulacan are currently on an uptrend,” OCTA said.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries around the globe to seize the opportunity to end the pandemic, saying the “end is in sight.”

"We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic… We are not there yet, but the end is in sight,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"If we don't take this opportunity now, we run the risk of more variants, more deaths, more disruption, and more uncertainty,” he added. —KBK, GMA News