OCTA: Metro situation still at ‘critical’ level
THE reproduction rate of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Metro Manila has dropped over a one-week period, but the decrease is not enough to lower its current “critical” classification level, the independent OCTA Research Team said yesterday.
In its latest monitoring report, the OCTA said the R naught in the National Capital Region (NCR) has gone down to 1.53 during the period August 18 to 24, from the 1.78 figure from August 11 to 17.
But the reproduction rate, the group said, is still in the “critical range,” noting that the World Health Organization has said that the target is to maintain COVID-19’s reproduction rate at below 1.
Aside from its over-all high reproduction rate, the OCTA said 16 of the 17 local government units in Metro Manila also have critical R naught levels.
These are Caloocan (1.85), Pateros (1.81), Taguig (1.78), Mandaluyong (1.71), San Juan (1.70), Muntinlupa (1.63), Marikina (1.56), Pasig (1.54), Parañaque (1.53), Valenzuela (1.50), Makati (1.49), Quezon City (1.47), Las Piñas (1.47), Manila (1.46), Malabon (1.44), and Pasay (1.42).
Only the reproduction rate of Navotas City is at “high” level at 1.37.
At the same time, the OCTA said the region’s growth rate remains high over the past seven days.
“The NCR averaged 4,019 COVID-19 cases per day from August 18 to 24, which is 13 percent higher than the previous week’s daily average of 3,556 cases,” said OCTA.
As for the average daily attack rate (ADAR), the group said NCR remains at critical level at 28.78. ADAR refers to the number of people infected with COVID-19 for every 100,000 population.
The OCTA said the daily attack rate in 13 of the 17 Metro LGUs is at critical level, with Pateros having a 65.03 ADAR, Makati with 48.11, San Juan with 46.79, Muntinlupa with 38.74, Navotas with 35.11, Taguig with 35.05, Pasay with (34.75, Mandaluyong with 34.61, Parañaque with 32.41, Pasig with 31.98, Valenzuela with 30.76, Las Piñas with 30.37, and Malabon with 30.02.
The remaining four LGUs, on the other hand, were classified at high level in terms of their ADAR, with Manila having a 24.29 average daily attack rate, Quezon City with 23.27, Caloocan with 22.53, and Marikina with 16.16.
Meanwhile, the Pasay City General Hospital (PCGH) yesterday announced it has temporarily closed its emergency room as its COVID-19 beds are now all occupied.
Dr. John Victor de Garcia, PCGH officer-in-charge, said: “We are already on full capacity for all adult COVID ICU and regular beds. The ER is temporarily closed for COVID and non COVID cases.”
De Garcia said they still have three patients waiting to be admitted and who are on standby in the ER isolation rooms and anteroom triage area.
The hospital has 36 regular COVID beds and 12 adult ICU beds.
De Garcia said said one of its two pediatric COVID ICU beds is still available.
“We are advising the public that if they have patients that they need to be rush to the PCGH, it’s better to contact first the One Hospital Command Center so that they will be guided which hospital in Metro Manila they can go,” he said.
As of August 24, Pasay City has recorded 836 active cases; 15,497 recoveries, and 433 individuals deaths. — With Noel Talacay
