COVID-19 positivity, healthcare utilization rates increase

OCTA Research over the weekend warned of the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, with growth being recorded in the positivity rate and the average growth rate across the country.

Data from the group showed that the country’s positivity rate currently stood at 24.3%, while the seven-day average growth rate increased by 3%.

Broken down geographically, Metro Manila posted the fastest positivity rate of 25.8%, while its seven-day average growth rate declined by 5% on May 13 to 20, 2023. Its healthcare utilization rate stood at 30.5%, while the intensive care unit bed occupancy rate was 27%.

“May mga provinces na pataas pa lang… May mga areas sa Calabarzon na sumasabay sa Metro Manila, but I think generally marami pang provinces na may nakikitaan pa tayong pagtaas ng cases and ng positivity rate,” OCTA Research Fellow Dr. Guido David said in a report by Vonne Aquino on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(Some provinces are just starting to increase… There are areas in Calabarzon that are moving in line with Metro Manila, but I think generally, there are a lot more provinces where we see an increase in cases and the positivity rate.)

There are 22 confirmed cases in the San Lazaro Hospital, where patients and their visitors are required to take an RT-PCR test before being admitted inside.

“Pakonti-konti lang. It’s not as ‘yung tinatawag natin na madaling tumataas, hindi kagaya before na in two or three days talagang ang bilis ng pag-akyat,” San Lazaro Hospital Infectious Disease Unit Head Dr. Rontgene Solante said.

(It’s gradual, it’s not as fast as before that in two or three days, there was an abrupt increase.)

There are also 10 COVID-19 cases in the Lung Center of the Philippines which currently has 16 COVID-dedicated beds.

“We’re still within our capacity, and we will only open our next hospitainer dedicated for COVID if our cases will reach 70 or 75%,” Lung Center Spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco said.

Arcturus

Meanwhile, seven additional cases of the COVID-19 Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 or “Arcturus” were detected in the country, bringing the total caseload to 11.

Based on the Department of Health’s latest COVID-19 biosurveillance report, two new Arcturus cases were identified in Central Luzon and another two in the Western Visayas. The Bicol Region, Mimaropa, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have one case each.

The XBB.1.16 was tagged as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a “variant under monitoring” by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

While DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said it was likely local transmission of Arcturus was taking place in the Philippines, she added that the public should not worry about this as long as they adhere to health protocols such as wearing face masks as needed, and getting vaccinated and boosted. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News