Independent research group OCTA on Tuesday, Aug. 17, said that the daily recorded cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Central Luzon have risen steadily from Aug. 10 to 16.
In OCTA's Central Luzon COVID update released on Tuesday, Bataan registered a "critical" average daily attack rate or ADAR (28.49), while Bulacan (19.06), Pampanga (16.04), and Zambales (10.70) had "high" incidence levels
The ADAR or incidence rate refers to the number of new daily cases per 100,000 population.
The positivity rate in Bulacan over the past week was 35 percent, in Pampanga it was 32 percent, and in Bataan, it was 23 percent. This refers to the number of people who test positive given the testing.
Intensive care or ICU utilization was also at a critical level in the provinces of Tarlac (96 percent), Bataan (91 percent), Zambales (89 percent), and Pampanga (85 percent).
Hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 remained above 70 percent, considered "high," in Pampanga (80 percent) and Bataan (71 percent).
Based on its monitoring, OCTA reported that nine local government units (LGUs) have "critical" ADAR. These were Mariveles (60.71), Limay (43.42), and Balanga (29.82) in Bataan; Malolos (30.28), Santa Maria (27.35), Meycauayan (28.87), Bocaue (34.12), Calumpit (34.29), and Guiguinto (35.59) in Bulacan.
Hospital bed and ICU occupancy for COVID in San Fernando (86 percent and 93 percent, respectively), classified as critical.
Healthcare utilization was above 70 percent in San Jose del Monte.
ICU occupancy was also at a critical level in Balanga (91 percent), Tarlac City (96 percent), and Meycauayan (100 percent), while hospital bed occupancy was at a critical level in Mariveles (90 percent) and Olongapo (88 percent).