THE Octa Research group has monitored a rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positivity rates in some areas in Visayas and Mindanao, indicating an increasing transmission of the virus, Dr. Guido David said on Monday, August 1, 2022.
David said very high positivity rates were observed in Capiz, whose positivity rate went up from 30.6 percent from July 23 to 51.2 percent on July 30; Aklan, from 34.2 percent to 36.9 percent; Antique, from 22.2 percent to 28.7 percent; Bohol, from 20.5 to 28.2 percent; and Negros Oriental from 23.2 to 27.6 percent.
In Cebu, the positivity rate went from 9.9 percent on July 23 to 12.4 percent on July 30.
Positivity rate in Davao del Sur, Iloilo, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Sur is also in an uptrend.
In Luzon, as of July 29, David said the provinces of Albay, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, La Union, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Tarlac and Zambales also have “very high” positivity rate.
Isabela has the highest positivity rate at 36.3 percent, followed by Tarlac at 31.6 percent and Laguna with 30.9 percent.
At present, the Philippines has a total of 33,622 active Covid-19 cases.
Despite the increase of Covid-19 cases, the Department of Health said the country remains at low risk for Covid-19 due to low utilization of hospital facilities.
The DOH attributed the low hospital utilization to Covid-19 vaccination and the continuous adherence to minimum health protocols. (SunStar Philippines)