WHILE the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) condition in Metro Manila is slowly improving, the independent OCTA Research yesterday identified five provinces as “areas of concern” due to their “critical” levels of average daily attack rates and intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rates.
OCTA said the national government should give extra attention to Isabela, Cagayan, Benguet, Laguna and Bataan, which it tagged as “provinces of major concern.”
The group said the average daily attack rate per 100,000 population in Isabela is at 36.43, Cagayan at 37.79, Benguet at 53, Laguna at 25.69, and Bataan at 30.25.
On the other hand, the ICU utilization rates in Isabela is already at 94 percent, Cagayan at 87 percent, Benguet at 90 percent, Laguna at 87 percent, and Bataan at 92 percent.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), a local government unit is considered moderate risk if it has an average daily attack rate of less than 10 per 100,000 population, while an LGU with an ADAR greater than 10 is considered high risk.
On the brighter side, the OCTA said the reproduction rate of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region (NCR) is now nearing the cusp of the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO), following weeks of rapid transmission.
OCTA fellow Guido David, in a social media post, said the reproduction rate in Metro Manila is now at 1.03, from being at 1.33 just a week ago. The WHO has set the threshold at 1.
David also noted that the weekly growth rate in the NCR is now at -18 percent for the period of September 15 to 21, from 11 percent one week ago.
“The decrease in new cases in the NCR continues,” he said.
Last Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported that the NCR is showing a slow downward trend with reported decrease in cases versus the previous seven days.
David agreed with the DOH but cautioned against complacency. “We will need to wait a week more before we see long term trends… Let’s hope and pray this trend continues,” said David.
In a bid to further slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the PNP said nine LGUs in Metro Manila have placed 135 areas in 53 barangays under granular lockdown as of Tuesday.
Eighty of these are streets, 47 are houses, six are villages or subdivisions, and two are residential building floors.
It said 1,015 households, or 3,538 individuals, are affected by the lockdowns.
The PNP said 247 policemen, augmented by 452 force multipliers or barangay personnel, are strictly enforcing health protocols while the localized restrictions are in effect.
The number of areas under granular lockdown as of Tuesday was 21 less compared to the previous day.
NCR is under Alert Level 4 from September 16 until 30. The alert level system of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic is being pilot tested in the NCR hand in hand with the granular lockdown of areas where there are reported infections.
At the same time, the PNP reported that 71,591 individuals have been caught by the police for various violations since the start of the implementation of the new lockdown scheme since Thursday last week.
It said 51,824 of the violators were accosted for violation of minimum public health standards, 18,825 for curfew violation, and 942 others were apprehended for going out when they are not members of the Authorized Persons Outside Residence.
Of the total violators, 36,048 were merely warned; 31,471 were fined; and 4,072 were charged. — With Victor Reyes
