Independent research group OCTA on Sunday, July 25, flagged Cagayan de Oro and Mariveles, Bataan as "critical risk" areas for new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections.
In its July 18-24 monitoring report, OCTA said that Cagayan de Oro had a "very high" increase in new cases.
It averaged 117 cases per day up by 109 percent from 56 cases during the July 11-17 monitoring period.
Cagayan de Oro's infection rate (1.54), intensive care unit or ICU utilization (85 percent), and positivity rate (27 percent) are also at "critical" levels.
For Mariveles, the rates of COVID-19 infection (1.45) and incidence (33.53 cases per 100,000 population) were also at a critical level.
OCTA also flagged Davao City, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Makati City, Lapu-Lapu City, General Santos City, Baguio City, Laoag City, Mandaue City, Las Piñas City, and Valenzuela City as "high risk" areas for COVID-19.
Mandaue City's seven-day average of new cases rose by 130 percent, which OCTA classified as "very high."
"High increase" in new cases were also noted in Valenzuela City (92 percent), Cebu City (82 percent), Caloocan City (74 percent), Lapu-Lapu City (60 percent), Manila (53 percent), and Caloocan City (74 percent).
Aside from Cagayan de Oro and Mariveles, OCTA also observed critical level of COVID-19 reproduction number or rate of infection in Mandaue City (2.16), Lapu-Lapu City (1.96), Cebu City (1.90), Laoag City (1.82), Valenzuela City (1.61), and Manila (1.43).
Meanwhile, Iloilo City's ICU utilization rate was at 96 percent which is a critical level.