1,475 percent two-week growth rate for COVID-19 observed in Metro Manila
(Eagle News) – The Philippines is now at a high-risk classification for COVID-19 due to a 448 percent two-week growth rate, with Metro Manila considered at critical risk, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People, Duque noted the spike in COVID-19 cases as local transmission of the Omicron variant has been confirmed and after the increase in social gatherings this holiday season.
“Ang buong bansa ay mayroong 448 percent two-week growth rate or TWGR. Eh ‘yan po pagka lagpas 200 percent ay talagang high risk na po ang kanyang classification,” Duque said Tuesday night, Jan. 4, 2022.
For the whole country, the seven-day moving average of daily reported cases is at 849 percent.
The highest spike in COVID-19 cases was noted in the National Capital Region or in Metro Manila which is at critical risk classification. This is because of a 1,475 percent two-week growth rate and 8.79 percent average daily attack rate (ADAR).
Region 4-A is also at high-risk classification with a 557 percent two-week growth rate, with a 1.6 percent ADAR. Region 3 or the Central Luzon region also experienced a rise in COVID cases. Region 3 is at moderate risk with a 339 percent TWGR and .91 ADAR, Duque said.
In the past week, from December 29, 2021 to January 4, 2022, the country recorded an average of 3,313 daily cases. This is nine times higher than the previous 349 average daily cases from Dec. 22 to 28, the DOH chief said.
Duque said that almost 70 percent of new COVID cases in the country came from NCR in the past week.
On Thursday, January 5, 2022, new COVID-19 cases reported have reached 10,755 for the entire country.
Health experts said that the spike in cases in the country looks like a “signature of Omicron.”
The Omicron variant is four times more transmissible than the Delta variant, Duque said.
(Eagle News Service)