OCTA: XBB wave possibly ending with declining COVID-19 positivity rates in NCR, other Luzon areas

The wave of infection of the Omicron XBB subvariant may be ending now considering the decreasing COVID-19 positivity rates in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas in Luzon, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said Tuesday.

David said that among the factors that placed NCR and 72 other areas under Alert Level 1 from November 1 to November 15, is their high vaccination coverage.

“Sa Metro Manila and other regions dito sa Calabarzon, Central Luzon, ay nakikita natin na bumababa na ang positivity rate. Magandang sensyales ‘yun na baka patapos na at least ang XBB wave,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(In Metro Manila and other regions here in Calabarzon and Central Luzon, we can see that the positivity rate is decreasing. That's a good sign that the XBB wave at least might be already ending.)

“Sa tingin namin, ‘yan ang nagdala ng surge recently at ngayon pababa na,” he added.

(We think that's what brought the surge recently and now it's going down.)

David earlier said that the XBB, a recombinant of two Omicron subvariants, might be the cause of the increase in COVID-19 cases in the NCR in September.

Metro Manila’s seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate — or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested — decreased to 10% on October 29, from 12.3% on October 22. — RSJ, GMA News