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Metro Manila's positivity rate dips below WHO's 5% benchmark -- OCTA

Philippines | National

Metro Manila's positivity rate dips below WHO's 5% benchmark -- OCTA

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

(DR. GUIDO DAVID / TWITTER)

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positivity rate in Metro Manila has decreased to 4.9 percent for the first time since Dec. 26, 2021--prior to the Omicron wave of the pandemic, a fellow of the OCTA Research Group said on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said that Metro Manila's positivity rate is now less than the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended level of 5 percent.

Positivity rate refers to the number of individuals who yielded positive results from among those who were tested for COVID-19.

According to the benchmark set by the WHO, a positivity rate of below 5 percent should be maintained for 14 days before the transmission of COVID-19 can be considered contained.

Meanwhile, David said that Metro Manila remained under the "low risk" classification, based on the internationally-developed COVID Act Now metrics used by OCTA to determine the COVID risk of an area.

" NCR (National Capital Region) remained at low risk as of Feb. 21, 2022, as the ADAR (average daily attack rate) decreased to 2.85, while the reproduction number was stable at 0.21 , and the healthcare utilization rate remained at 25 percent ," David said.

The ADAR or incidence rate refers to the number of new daily cases per 100,000 population, while the reproduction number or infection rate refers to the average number of secondary infections by each infected individual.

In Region 4A, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal remained at low risk, while Quezon already improved to "very low risk," David said.

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Metro Manila covid-19 OCTA Research Dr. Guido David

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