The OCTA Research Group asserted that the spread of COVID-19 in the country is slowing down following the gradual improvement of the situation in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.
According to OCTA, they saw a negative growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The average number of cases dropped 2 percent to 20,000 from 20,700 cases last week.
Although 23,134 new cases were recorded on Saturday, The second highest number of new cases in a day since the pandemic is still low compared to last week’s 26,000.
“Every day, we’re having a negative growth rate,” said OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David.
“We’re starting to see a pattern, and in fact, we haven’t seen this pattern na puro negative growth rate since last April or May,” he added.
He said among those affected by the decrease in the number of cases in the country is also the decrease in cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon and Bulacan.
In NCR, OCTA recorded a negative growth rate for the first time since July.
There have been 5,200 cases in the past seven days, down 10 percent from 5,841.
“Usually, ‘yong nationwide, sumusunod siya sa NCR and Calabarzon kasi malaki ‘yong bilang ng NCR, Calabarzon. Usually mga nasa 60 percent ng cases nandito,” said David.
Spread of COVID-19 slows: OCTA
“Puwede pang magbago ‘yong trend pero sa ngayon, hindi na natin nakikita ‘yong 30,000 cases [per day] na nasabi natin noon,” he added.
On Saturday, the Department of Health said the case was still rising and had not yet reached its peak or the maximum number of falls ill.
But according to OCTA, the peak of COVID-19 cases may have been reached.
“We may have reached the peak,” said David.
In Central Visayas, the number of cases in Cebu City also continues to decline after granular lockdowns.
Meanwhile, OCTA saw an increase in cases in the Western Visayas and Ilocos region and the provinces of Rizal and Pampanga.
Governor Rodito Albano said cases are still high in Isabela province, and quarantine facilities are still being filled.
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