THE coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positivity rates in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 14 provinces in Luzon are currently on a decline after weeks of increase, data from the independent OCTA Research showed Monday.
The OCTA data indicated that the positivity rate in Metro Manila has dropped to the “moderate” level of 16.8 percent, as of June 3, from the “high” level of 21.7 percent on May 27.
“Positivity rate decreased in NCR… Positivity rates are now decreasing in most of Luzon,” said OCTA fellow Guido David in a social media post.
Positivity rate is the percentage of people who test positive for the virus out of the overall number of those who have been tested.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the threshold for positivity rate for COVID-19 at 5 percent, which means the transmission is under control.
The group also said the positivity rates in Bulacan (19.9 percent from 22.1 percent), Rizal (18.5 percent from 30.8 percent), La Union (17.4 percent from 24.5 percent), and Tarlac (15.6 percent from 21.2 percent) are also on a downtrend from high to moderate level.
The OCTA report likewise showed that the positivity rates in Camarines Sur (34.3 percent from 43.1 percent), Quezon (29.8 percent from 46.2 percent), Palawan (29.6 percent from 29.8 percent), Cagayan (27.2 percent from 27.6 percent), Cavite (26.2 percent from 33.9 percent), Benguet (22.7 percent from 28.3 percent), Laguna (22.5 percent from 29 percent), Zambales (21.6 percent from 24.8 percent), and Batangas (20.5 percent from 30.9 percent) are still high but are already dropping.
Oriental Mindoro, on the other hand, saw its positivity rate dip to 43.2 percent (high) from 55.6 percent (very high).
On the other hand, OCTA said four provinces with “high” positivity rates continue to see increasing numbers.
These four provinces are Isabela (47.9 percent from 46.4 percent), Bataan (39.5 percent from 38.4 percent), Pampanga (27.5 percent from 26.8 percent), and Pangasinan (23.2 percent from 20.9 percent).
Yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported that for the second straight week, COVID-19 cases in the country have declined and averaged at 1,301 per day, or 9,107 total, for the period of May 29 to June 4.
“This is 22 percent lower than cases reported from May 22 to 28,” said the DOH, noting that the average daily cases for the past week was reported at 1,667 cases per day.
There were 77 additional severe and critical cases during the past week, while 10 deaths were reported.
The DOH said that as of June 4, there are 559 severe and critical COVID-19 cases in the country, of which 397 are occupying ICU beds, or 18.9 percent of the 2,099 total nationwide.
On the other hand, there are 4,101 patients occupying COVID-19 beds, or 23 percent of the 17,848 total COVID-19 beds allocated nationwide.
