The OCTA Research Group observed rising Covid-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila and five provinces in Luzon.
In an update on social media on Monday, Nov. 28, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said that the positivity rate in Metro Manila increased from 7.5 percent on Nov. 19 to 11.1 percent on Nov. 26.
The positivity rate refers to the number of individuals who yielded positive results from those tested for Covid-19.
The World Health Organization recommends that the Covid-19 positivity rate should remain at 5 percent or less.
During the same monitoring period, David said the rate also increased in Cagayan (from 14.4 percent to 18.2 percent), Ilocos Norte (from 4.7 percent to 7.8 percent), Ilocos Sur (from 21.7 percent to 32.9 percent), Kalinga (from 15.9 percent to 23.7 percent), and Pangasinan (from 13.2 percent to 16.5 percent).
Moreover, seven provinces registered lower positivity rates in the past week but remained “very high” or above 20 percent.
Provinces with very high positivity rates on Nov. 26 are Albay (28.5 percent), Benguet (27 percent), Camarines Sur (27.7 percent), Isabela (44.4 percent), La Union, (22 percent), Nueva Ecija (32.9 percent), and Tarlac (36.5 percent).
David said on Nov. 26 that the Omicron BQ.1 sub-variant may be responsible for the increase in Covid-19 cases and positivity rates, particularly in Metro Manila.