OCTA Research flags Roxas City amid increasing COVID-19 infections

Independent research group OCTA on Tuesday, Aug. 17, expressed concern over the rising coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reproduction number in Roxas City.
Based on its Panay Island COVID-19 monitoring from Aug. 9 to 15, OCTA said that Roxas City's reproduction number or R has been increasing, with a current value of 1.29. This means that the city has a fast infection rate.
Reproduction number refers to the average number of secondary infections by each infected individual and is the primary indicator used by OCTA to study COVID trends in the country.
OCTA pointed out that the reproduction number in Kalibo, which peaked at around 1.5, has been decreasing, with a current value of 1.29 as of Aug. 15.
"The reproduction number in Iloilo City had been hovering around the endemic belt i.e. between 0.9 and 1.1, which means the general trend in Iloilo City has been flat, i.e. neither increasing nor decreasing," it added.
The positivity rate in Iloilo was 23 percent, in Aklan it was 40 percent, and in Capiz, it was 33 percent. This refers to the number of people who test positive given the testing.
Moreover, OCTA noted that Iloilo had the highest number of new COVID-19 cases over the past week with 272, followed by Aklan (202), Antique (70), and Capiz (47).
In terms of incidence or average daily attack rate (ADAR), the level in Aklan was critical (33.06), while both Iloilo (10.67) and Antique (11.33) were at a high incidence level.
The ADAR or incidence rate refers to the number of new daily cases per 100,000 population.
Seven of the top LGUs were from Aklan, and all of them had incidence at critical levels.
OCTA said that hospital bed occupancy and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy in Kalibo and Aklan, in general, remained below 70 percent. The same was true in Roxas City and Capiz.
ICU occupancy in Iloilo City and Iloilo province, in general, remained at a high level.
However, ICU occupancy was at full capacity in San Jose de Buenavista and Antique, in general.
Meanwhile, hospital bed occupancy remained below 70 percent in Iloilo City.
The situation in Kalibo is improving but the ADAR and positivity rate are still at critical levels.