LATEST data from the independent OCTA Research group show an uptrend in the positivity rates for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the National Capital Region and 16 provinces in Luzon in a span of one week.
Areas that saw spikes in positivity rates between December 3 and 10 data include Kalinga (57.9% from 20.8%), Nueva Ecija (49% from 39.1%), Isabela (40.5% from 38.6%), Camarines Sur (39.2% from 38.8%), Ilocos Sur (36.9% from 36.2%), Cagayan (26.3% from 21.4%), Albay (24.7% from 23.7%), Rizal (23% from 19.7%), and La Union (22.2% from 20.4%).
Also seeing climbing positivity rates are Mt Province (16.7% from 11%), NCR (14.4% from 12.4%), Pampanga (13.3% from 10.6%), Quezon (12.8% from 10.8%), Cavite (12.8% from 10.5%), Zambales (11.7% from 10.7%), Batangas (9.2% from 5.2%), and Bulacan (8.3% from 6.8%).
The positivity rate in Pangasinan remained the same at 16.6 percent.
The OCTA report showed five provinces in Luzon registered dropping positivity rates during the one-week period.
These include Tarlac (23.6% from 25.3%), Benguet (20.9% from 22.6%), Laguna (16.7% from 19.2%), Ilocos Norte (10.3% from 11.1%), and Bataan (8.7% from 11.2%).
In a previous press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the positivity rate alone is prone to misinterpretation given the low testing rate in the country, and thus, is not enough basis to assess the COVID-19 trend.
“We don’t use positivity rate as a measure in our COVID-19 situation. It is easily influenced by different factors. We could be misled if we continue using that,” Vergeire has said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported an average of 1,185 cases daily for the period of December 5 to 11, or a total of 8,292 cases, which is seven percent higher than the cases reported from November 28 to December 4.
The DOH’s COVID-19 case bulletin showed there were six additional severe and critical cases during the past week, while 156 patients died.
There are currently 650 severe and critical cases in the country as of December 11, of which 546 are occupying ICU beds, which is 22.4 percent of the 2,435 total ICU beds nationwide.
On the other hand, there are 4,758 patients occupying COVID-19 beds, which is 24 percent of the 19,824 total beds allocated nationwide.
