OCTA says COVID vaccines helped in decline
THE National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas considered as priority for COVID-19 response are seeing “low” reproduction rates, the OCTA Research group monitoring the coronavirus disease situation in the country said yesterday.
OCTA fellow Guido David said multiple factors are seen as having contributed to the decline in reproduction rates.
“Vaccinations, compliance with health standards, implementation of restrictions, and Delta nearing end in these areas,” he said referring to the highly-transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19.
Guido said the “NCR Plus 8” areas had reproduction rates below 1 as of October 2.
The World Health Organization has said the target is to maintain the reproduction rate at below 1.
The NCR Plus 8 is composed of the NCR or Metro Manila which is the epicenter of COVID cases in the country, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, and Pampanga.
“The NCR reproduction number is 0.83. All regions in Plus Eight also showing downward trends,” said David.
The reproduction rate for Davao City is are 0.89, 0.85 for both Pampanga and Rizal, 0.74 for Batangas, 0.70 for Bulacan, 0.68 for Laguna, 0.66 for Cebu City, and 0.63 for Cavite.
The OCTA data also showed that the average daily attack rates (ADARs) of majority of the Plus 6 remain at “high” level.
Rizal had an ADAR of 17.82, Davao City 16.7, Cavite 15.91, Laguna 15.87, Pampanga 13.65, Batangas 13.02, and Bulacan (11.8).
Metro Manila’s ADAR remained at “critical” level based, 25.05 per 100,000 population.
Cebu City is at “moderate” level at 5.29 ADAR, said OCTA.
Previously, the national government identified the NCR Plus 8 areas as being most populous and of the highest density, thus putting them at the greatest risk for COVID-19 transmission.
For the positivity rate, OCTA said five areas are still at “critical” level, namely Laguna 29%, Pampanga 28%, Bulacan 26%, Rizal 23%, and Batangas (21%).
Positivity rate refers to how many of those tested positive foe COVID-19 are actually infected with the disease.
At “high” levels are Davao City at 20%, Cavite 17%, and Metro Manila 16% while Cebu City is at “moderate” level with an 8 percent positivity rate.
