3 Luzon cities still high risk for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the downward trend in new cases in more areas, three highly urbanized cities in Luzon remain at high risk for COVID-19, the OCTA Research Group said yesterday.

Baguio, Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Santiago in Isabela may still be considered as “high risk” either due to a very high number of new cases or reproduction number, OCTA fellow Guido David said.

While Baguio and Santiago recorded negative growth rates in the average number of new cases, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) is still considered ”very high” as of Wednesday.

Baguio recorded an ADAR of 65.8 daily new cases per 100,000 people while Santiago had 27.63.

Puerto Princesa had a moderate ADAR of 9.96, but its reproduction number is still very high at 1.73.

The city logged a growth rate of four percent, the only highly urbanized city in Luzon that recorded an increase in average new cases this week.

Positivity rates in all three cities remain very high, David said.

Health care utilization in Baguio and Puerto Princesa is at moderate level and low in Santiago.

Meanwhile, five other cities in Luzon are now considered at moderate risk for COVID-19, David said in his report.

These are Angeles in Pampanga, Dagupan in Pangasinan, Lucena in Quezon, Naga in Camarines Sur and Olongapo in Zambales.

All five cities have negative growth rates and ”very low” to low reproduction numbers.

Except Olongapo, which has a moderate ADAR, the four other cities have high average daily new infections per 100,000 people.

David said positivity rate is very high in Angeles, Dagupan and Naga and high in Lucena and Olongapo.

In a separate report, David said provinces in Calabarzon are at moderate risk as new cases continue to decline.

He said Cavite and Laguna still have high ADAR. Batangas, Quezon and Rizal now have moderate ADAR of less than 10 new infections per 100,000 people.