More than 2,800 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday, August 7, even though the region has been under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) since August 6.
Based on data released by the OCTA Research group yesterday, it was learned that this Saturday, the NCR recorded a total of 2,823 new COVID-19 cases.
According to OCTA, this is the highest recorded number in the region since May 2, when NCR was under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
OCTA added that the reproduction rate in Metro Manila also rose to 1.80 from 1.56 last week.
“The positivity rate in the NCR has increased to 14%, from 10% one week ago,” it said.
According to them, such a strong upward trend and level of new COVID-19 cases in NCR are similar to those observed from March 9 to 15, 2021, when the ECQ was also implemented in the region.
The group also believes that the rapid increase in disease cases in the NCR and its continued increase in reproduction number indicate the possibility that the surge was caused by the Delta variant.
Over 2,800 new COVID-19 cases recorded in NCR over weekend
“The rapid growth rate of cases in the NCR strongly suggests the possibility that the surge is driven by the Delta variant, and the steady increase in the reproduction number may be due to the replacement of the Delta variant over the previous dominant variants (Alpha and Beta),” the group said.
31% of the sampled cases had the Delta variant, an increase from the previous 16% just two weeks ago, based on data from biosurveillance conducted by the Department of Health (DOH).
OCTA said that at 59%, ICU occupancy for COVID-19 in NCR remains safe but noted the occupancy increase to an average of 11 per day over the past two weeks.
Even the hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 in NCR remains at a safe level so far; however, it has increased by 94 per day over the past two weeks.
The group warned that ICU occupancy would reach 70% in just two weeks while hospital bed occupancy will exceed 70% in three weeks.
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