OCTA: Rising Covid-19 positivity rate, ‘no cause for alarm’

The OCTA Research Group said the increasing positivity rate or the number of people who test positive for Covid-19 in select areas nationwide is not a cause for alarm.

OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and the Visayas have recorded increases in Covid-19 positivity rate in the past five consecutive days — more than 2,000 new cases per day.

David said such figures are high but they “are no cause for alarm.” adding that are positivity rate hikes in Pangasinan, La Union, Cagayan and Isabela. “And like what I said there are increasing positivity rates in Western Visayas, mostly in Iloilo. In Central Luzon, it’s centered in Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac. Except for Quezon, hiked infection in the Calabarzon is region wide,” he added.

Earlier, OCTA noted that bed occupancy in NCR hospitals is at 30.7% — lower than the 50% threshold for healthcare utilization.

To keep the Covid-19 numbers low nationwide, David said Filipinos must continue to observe the minimum public health standards, get vaccinated and boosted, and undergo self-isolation when the have symptoms to help prevent transmission.