The OCTA Research on Monday, Dec. 5 observed a continuous increase in the Covid-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila over the past week.
In an update shared on social media, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said the positivity rate in the capital region increased from 11.1 percent on Nov. 26 to 12.4 percent on Dec. 4.
The positivity rate refers to the number of individuals who yielded positive results from those who were tested for Covid-19.
The World Health Organization recommended that the positivity rate should remain at 5 percent or less to show that the spread of the virus is under control.
David on Dec. 2 pointed out that the rate of increase in Covid-19 positivity in Metro Manila is “around the same rate of increase during the Omicron BA.5 wave from June and the XBB from September.”
He added: “This projects to a December BQ.1 wave similar to the BA.5 and XBB waves.”
Moreover, David said that OCTA also observed an increase in Covid-19 positivity rates in 11 provinces in Luzon last week.
According to OCTA, the following provinces registered higher positivity rates in the past week:
Bataan (from 9.7 percent on Nov. 26 to 11.2 percent on Dec. 3)
Cagayan (from 18.2 percent to 21.4 percent)
Camarines Sur (from 27.7 percent to 38.8 percent)
Ilocos Norte (from 7.8 percent to 11.1 percent)
Ilocos Sur (from 32.9 percent to 36.2 percent)
Laguna (from 13.1 percent to 19.2 percent)
Nueva Ecija (from 32.9 percent to 39.1 percent)
Pampanga (from 8.3 percent to 10.6 percent)
Pangasinan (from 16.5 percent to 16.6 percent)
Quezon (from 7.2 percent to 13.3 percent)
Rizal (from 13.2 percent to 19.7 percent)
Zambales (from 6.1 percent to 10.7 percent).