OCTA: Metro Manila may be placed under 'low-risk' for COVID-19 by end of month
By Jaleen Ramos
The National Capital Region (NCR) may be placed under the low risk case classification for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by the end of October, the OCTA Research group said Sunday, Oct. 10.

"Maaaring by end of October, maaaring nasa low risk na ang NCR, based sa criteria namin. Wala tayong nakikitang variant of concern ngayon na threatening, na pwedeng pumasok sa bansa natin. So ang talagang tingin natin, tuloy-tuloy na 'yan hanggang Pasko (By the end of October, NCR may be at low risk, based on our criteria. We do not see any variant of concern today that is threatening that may enter our country. So we really think that it will continue until Christmas)," OCTA fellow Prof. Guido David said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.
He also noted the hospital occupancy in Metro Manila is expected to decline.
"Mga tatlong linggo na nating masasabi na nakita na natin na nag peak at talagang pababa na ang bilang ng kaso. Ang seven-day average natin ngayon ay nasa 2,000 nalang, dahil diyan talagang inaasahan natin na luluwag na ang mga hospital beds utilization (About three weeks ago we can say that we have already seen the peak and the number of cases is really decreasing. Our seven-day average is now only 2,000, so we really hope that the hospital beds utilization will be eased," Guido said.
The reproduction in Metro Manila is currently at 0.6 percent, while the positivity rate is at 13 percent, he said.
Guido added it may also decrease to 12 percent by today or tomorrow.
"Within this week, baka nasa four-digit na lang, less than 10,000 na ang average natin. Ngayon kasi, naglalaro pa sa 11,000 ang seven-day average natin sa buong bansa (we may have an average of less than 10,000. Today, our seven-day average is still playing at 11,000 nationwide)," Guido said.
On Saturday, Oct. 9, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 11,010 additional new COVID-19 cases in the country.
Restrictions in the country may be loosen on the Christmas Season if the number of COVID-19 infections continue to decline, it said.