The average number of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Metro Manila has continued to decrease over the past week, based on the latest monitoring of independent research group OCTA.
OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David on Wednesday, Sept. 22, said that Metro Manila averaged 4,784 daily cases from Sept. 15 to 21, with a one-week growth rate of negative (-) 18 percent.
This is down from 11 percent during the previous week.
The COVID-19 reproduction number of Metro Manila has also further decreased to 1.03 from 1.33 a week ago.
"There are still some backlog in reports but the error margin accounts for this. Let's hope and pray this trend continues," David said in a Twitter post.
"So far, at least, we are not yet seeing a spike in cases due to the new restrictions," he added.
David also noted that the decrease in cases could be due in part to the COVID-19 vaccination program in Metro Manila.
So far, Metro Manila has fully vaccinated around 67 percent of its target population.
"Note that they count 67 percent of the target population. I look at it from the perspective of the entire population. I think they are at or closing in on 40 percent of the entire NCR population," David pointed out.
The government aims to vaccinate up to 70 percent of the country's 109 million population before the year ends to achieve herd immunity and safely reopen the economy.