The surge in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) has slowed down, as each of the five provinces posted a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) one-week negative growth rate and reproduction number of less than 1, independent research group OCTA said in its monitoring report on Friday, Oct. 1.

However, OCTA noted that Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas are still considered “high risk” areas for COVID infections based on covidactnow.org criteria.

This is primarily due to testing positivity rates at “critical” level (greater than 20 percent), high average daily attack rate (between 10 and 25 per 100,000 per day), and “high” to “critical” intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rates.

Rizal province registered the highest ADAR at 18.65, while Cavite logged the highest ICU occupancy rate at 87 percent.

Meanwhile, Rizal and Batangas had “high” hospital occupancy rates of 79 percent and 76 percent, respectively.

OCTA said that Quezon province remained a “moderate risk” area for COVID-19.

In its report, the research group pointed out that ICU occupancy for COVID-19 patients remained at a critical level in Bacoor City (100 percent), Imus City (85 percent), Dasmariñas City (86 percent), Cainta (100 percent), Batangas City (96 percent), General Trias City (100 percent), Calamba City (87 percent), and San Pablo City (100 percent).

In terms of hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 cases, it was still at a critical level in Cainta (88 percent), Taytay (94 percent), and Rodriguez (100 percent), all in Rizal province.

Meanwhile, the ADAR in Imus City (26.45), Cainta (30.15), and Batangas City (27.33) remain “critical.”