THE WEEKLY coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positivity rate in Metro Manila ending Dec. 3 rose to 10.2% from 7% on Nov. 26, OCTA Research said on Tuesday.
In an X post, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the rising positivity rate was accompanied by a 50% increase in daily cases over the last seven days, but that the hospital occupancy in Metro Manila remained “low” at 18%.
The Department of Health (DoH) reported 204 new COVID-19 cases across the country on Dec. 4, with 70 cases recorded in Metro Manila. Mr. David said the country may record as many as 200 new cases on Tuesday.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is now under a five-day isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 on Monday, according to his office.
It said the President, who is still fit to carry out his duties, would be continuing his scheduled meetings via teleconference. Updates on his health will be provided as they become available, it added.
This was the third time that Mr. Marcos tested positive for COVID-19.
He was last seen in public on Saturday when he led a family day event inside the complex of the presidential palace. He was set to visit Marawi City, where a bombing happened on Sunday, as well as Surigao del Sur, which experienced a major earthquake last week.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa said there has been no recorded outbreak of “walking pneumonia” cases in the Philippines, citing the monitoring of the Health department’s epidemiology bureau.
“In the Philippines, there is no outbreak yet, according to our epidemiology bureau, although there are many cases,” he told a Commission on Appointments hearing.
The disease causes cold-like symptoms and is caused by mycoplasma bacteria. Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag earlier said there’s been no recorded walking pneumonia cases in the country because there is no routine testing for the disease.
He said the illness had been recorded in the Philippines before but doctors would prescribe antibiotics to people who carry symptoms to ease their condition.
But Mr. Tayag said the bacteria is “90% to 95%” drug-resistant in China, which means antibiotics do not affect the illness.
Mr. Herbosa urged the public to take the same precautionary measures during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic because it’s the “season of respiratory illness.”
“The social distancing and the wearing of face masks, having a cough etiquette, should be done to avoid catching illnesses,” he added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
